The Happiest Place On Earth
by ReganX
Summary: Spike learns the true meaning of Hell when he is put in charge of the Wolfram and Hart daycare centre. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.  
  
~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~  
  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by puttiing Spike in charge of the daycare.  
  
Requirements:  
  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.  
  
Author's Note: By the way, this story takes place when Spike is corporeal - Let's face it, a transparent caretaker would never be able to control children.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in * * = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 1.  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Yes way. Now that Mrs Murray has so inconveniently expired" Angel suppressed a grimace at the thought of the genial middle aged woman's messy, untimely end. "I need you to fill in, at least until a replacement can be found."  
  
"Bugger off, Peaches!"  
  
"As long as you're hanging around *my* firm, you will make yourself useful."  
  
"Can't I help out in the lab?" Spike asked, a note of genuine desperation in his voice. "Or maybe your commando squad could use a little extra muscle?"  
  
"Spike," Angel glowered at the younger vampire. "You *will* run the Wolfram and Hart daycare centre and you will *like* it!"  
  
* * *  
  
Half past eight, the next morning.  
  
"You must be Spike." If the falsely cheerful young woman who greeted him at the door to the daycare centre's smile had been any wider, her face would have cracked in two. "I'm Laura, Mrs Murray's assistant."  
  
Had Spike been capable of breathing, he would have exhaled in relief. He had been afraid that he would have been left alone with the rugrats.  
  
"Dear me." Laura tsked, regarding Spike's ensemble with a disapproving eye. "So much black! I know that it's not my place to criticize, but perhaps the children would respond better if you wore something a little more colourful. Like this." She gestured to her sunshine yellow T-shirt and blue checked shorts.  
  
Spike gave an involuntary shudder and clutched his long black leather duster closer to him, half afraid that she would try to take it from him.  
  
"My clothes are fine." He snapped, sounding crosser than he had intended. "So how many brat . . . *kids* am I dealing with here."  
  
Laura gave him another cheery smile. "You're in luck. The after school program and the nursery for the babies are already staffed, so you just have to deal with the preschool group. They're all under six. Except Chad." She added as an afterthought.  
  
Spike calculated the number of people working in various areas of Wolfram and Hart and came up with a rough estimate of how many of them probably had small children.  
  
His face turned ashen pale.  
  
"And I have to take care of *all* of them?" He asked hoarsely.  
  
"Dear me, no." Laura gave a little tinkling laugh that grated on Spike's already frayed nerves. "Most of the firm's employees have their children in daycare centres outside the firm, or else they employ nannies. The children here . . ."  
  
"Are the ones that noone else can deal with." Spike finished dryly, wishing that he knew the exact details of *how* Mrs Murray had died. "You didn't tell me how many there are." He told her. "Do I want to know?"  
  
"Don't worry." Laura gave another of her supremely annoying laughs. "It's not as bad as you might think. The daycare centre is equipped to handle up to twenty children . . ."  
  
"Twenty?" Spike interrupted incredulously. /Stake me! Stake me now! /  
  
" . . . But there are only nine children enrolled at present." She beamed at Spike as if she was giving him the best news in the world.  
  
As far as Spike was considered, nine small children was nine too many.  
  
"So do you want me to introduce you to the children?" She asked cheerfully.  
  
"Would 'no' be an acceptable answer?" Spike asked hopefully.  
  
She laughed again.  
  
Spike wanted to tear out her throat.  
  
"Don't be silly!" She took his hand and, opening the door, pulled him into the daycare centre.  
  
Spike wanted to vomit.  
  
The walls were covered with a brightly coloured mural depicting various fairytales and Disney characters beloved by small children and loathed by all self-respecting vampires.  
  
A cluster of small children, including a four foot tall version of what Spike thought was a Feoral demon, were either running around the large, sunny room or playing with the impressive stash of toys supplied for their amusement.  
  
"Children." Laura clapped her hands to get their attention, speaking in a cloying, sickly sweet tone that made Spike want to hit her. "Can I have everyone's attention please?"  
  
The kids looked up from their various occupations, completely uninterested in whatever she had to say.  
  
Laura pulled a very uinwilling Spike forward. "Children," She beamed down at them. "This is Mr Spike. He's going to be taking care of you and playing with you, now that Mrs Murray is . . ." She paused, trying to think of a suitable word. " . . . gone."  
  
One of the children, a chestnut haired boy of about five, yawned. The others turned their attention back to their own activities.  
  
"Come on now." Laura prompted them. "What do we say?"  
  
"Hello, Mr Spike." The kids chorused, completely devoid of enthusiasm.  
  
Laura looked as pleased as if they had given her a standing ovation.  
  
Spike was wishing that he hadn't tried to stop himself crossing over to Hell.  
  
"Come on," Laura tugged at Spike's hand. "Let me show you the ropes and introduce you to the gang."  
  
Spike pulled his hand away, wiping his fingers on his duster in disgust.  
  
"This is David." Laura caught a small boy with jet black hair and a distinctly Asian look who was running around the room and pulled him forward. "This is David." She patted his head patronisingly. "He's three, aren't you, David?"  
  
The little boy popped his thumb in his mouth, regarding Spike curiously, sizing him up. "I'm a wolfie." He finally announced.  
  
"Werewolf." Laura elaborated unneccesarily. "He's a good boy, aren't you?" She ruffled his hair.  
  
Bored with the conversation, David pulled away from Laura and went back to tearing around the room after another little boy.  
  
"Delia!" A small girl about David's age came forward at Laura's call. "This is Delia." Laura told him unneccessarily. "She's three."  
  
"THree and a half." The little girl corrected indignantly. "Hiya." She held out a small hand to the blond vampire, brushing a lock of dark hair away from her face with her other hand and looking up to reveal silver eyes. She smiled sweetly at Spike. "The stars told me that a pretty tiger is going to come an' 'tack us."  
  
Before Spike could recover, Delia had drifted back to the couch and was playing happily with her doll, as if nothing untoward had happened.  
  
"Delia's a Seer." Laura informed the new director of the Wolram and Hart Daycare Centre in an undertone. "Unfortunately, she's also got a very vivid imagination, so you never know whether to take her seriously or not."  
  
"Mr Spike?" The miniature Feoral demon crept up behind Spike and tugged at his duster.  
  
Spike looked down, amused. "And who are you?"  
  
"This is Chad." Laura chimed in.  
  
Spike raised a questioning eyebrow. "A Feoral demon called Chad?"  
  
She shrugged apologetically. "No one can pronounce his full name."  
  
Deciding that asking the boy was infinitely preferable to conversing any further with Laura, Spike looked down at Chad with what he hoped was a friendly and non-threatening smile. "And how old are you?" He asked, trying to sound interested.  
  
"Sixty-eight."  
  
Spike suppressed a laugh. The boy didn't look any older that four or five. "I'll take your word for it."  
  
"Run along now, Chad. Mr Spike has to meet everyone."  
  
Judging from the expression on the small demon's face, he was about as impressed by Laura's cloyingly sweet tones as Spike was. He trooted off obediently to the corner of the room where a cluster of beanbag chairs were set next to a large bookshelf and settled down happily with a comic.  
  
Laura pulled Spike over to the toy kitchen towards the back of the room and the two small blonde children, a boy and a girl, who were playing with it.  
  
"These are Sarah and Damien."  
  
The two children were so alike as to leave no doubt as to their relationship.  
  
"We're twins." The little girl smiled up at him. "We're four." She paused, looking thoughtful. "You don't want to be here, do you, Mr Spike?" She patted his hand sympathetically. "Don't worry. We won't be *too* bad, since it's your first day and all."  
  
"Their mother is one of the firm's telepaths." Laura informed him. "They take after her. Let's see," She looked around the room. "Who haven't you met?" Without waiting for an answer she walked over to a small girl who was huddled in the corner with a book almost as large as she was.  
  
Spike had a sinking suspicion that it was a spell book.  
  
"This is Morgan La Fay."  
  
Spike snorted in derision. "You're kidding, right?" /Please let her be kidding. /  
  
"It's just a nickname." Laura reasssured him, seeing his look of apprehension. "She's four." Morgan cleared her throat warningly. "Four and a half." Laura corrected herself sheepishly.  
  
Morgan, a very intense looking child with jet black hair and eyes so dark that her pupil's were indistinguishable, looked up at Spike with a solemn expression on her pointed little face.  
  
"Do you want me to turn her into a frog?" She asked, pointing at Laura. Shje was deadly serious. Spike badly wanted to say yes. "Because I will."  
  
Laura obviously believed that the child was capable of carrying out her threat, because she moved away so quickly that Spike had to hurry to catch up with her.  
  
To Spike's intense relief, the next child he was introduced to was a tiny, quiet looking toddler with shoulder length, slightly curling auburn hair, curled up on the couch with a rather bedraggled pale blue blanket and a well loved stuffed rabbit.  
  
/This one doesn't look too bad. /  
  
"This is Livia." For the first time, Laura's smile was halfway genuine. "She's the youngest - she was two last month. She's never any trouble."  
  
As if to prove Laura wrong, the two year old sprang up from the couch and charged at Spike, her sapphire blue eyes flashing.  
  
"Bamp-eye! Bamp-eye! Bamp-eye!" She pummelled Spike's thigh, the highest part of him she could reach, striking furiously with her tiny fists. "Livvie no like!"  
  
"Let me guess," Spike spoke in a dry, sarcastic tone. "Slayer?"  
  
Laura nodded in confirmation.  
  
Slayer strength or not, Livia's two year old fists were little more that an annoyance and he was able to lift the toddler up easily, restraining her without difficulty.  
  
"Now, Livia," Laura reproved her gently. "Mr Spike is a *good* vampire. He's here to take care of you."  
  
Livia frowned as she considered this, fixing the vampire who held her with a suspicious gaze. "Pwomise?"  
  
"Promise. Cross my heart."  
  
"Livvie down!"  
  
Spike obediently set the little girl on her feet.  
  
Livia glared at him, her hands on her hips. "You be bad, Livvie state you." She threatened, before stalking off, frowning her displeasure.  
  
"Now," Laura broke through the awkward pause and led the way over to Spike's last two charges. "These are Bradley and James."  
  
The two boys, both of whom Spike estimated were aged about five, merely nodded in greeting, before returning to their game of 'Snakes and Ladders'. They were completely unalike - Bradley had chestnut hair, green eyes and a pale skin liberally splotched with freckles, while James was dark skinned with black hair and deep brown eyes - but they were clearly inseperable allies.  
  
"These two are the biggest troublemakers in the place." Laura warned, frowning at the boys, who were completely unaffected by her glares.  
  
"What are they?" Spike half dreaded her answer.  
  
"Human."  
  
* * *  
  
Ten minutes later.  
  
". . . And this is the dormitory." Laura opened the door to a long room lined with two rows of brightly painted wooden beds with colourful quilts. "The kids sleep here for naptime and overnighters."  
  
"Overnighters?" Spike was horrified.  
  
"When the parents are working overnight." Laura clarified cheerfully. "It happens quite often here. If it does, the kids stay in daycare overnight. Now, there are two nap periods; from eleven to twelve and from half past two to half past three. Unless you want to deal with cranky kids for the afternoon and evening, I suggest that you get everyone to take the afternoon nap and whatever you do, don't let Livia miss either the morning or afternoon nap. David sometimes goes down at eleven if he's tired, other than that, they all stay up bar Livia. Now," She held out her hand to shake his. "I think that's everything that you need to know. Have fun."  
  
Spike gaped at her, horrified. "You're leaving?"  
  
Laura laughed in derision. "Please! You think that I'm going to stick around now that you're here? I am taking a long overdue vacation! I won't be back."  
  
Before Spike had a chance to protest, she was gone.  
  
"Mr Spike?" One of the kids - he didn't know which - called from the playroom. "I'm thirsty."  
  
"Bloody brilliant!" Spike huffed, reluctantly heading for the playroom.  
  
/Peaches, I am going to kill you for this! /  
  
*  
  
TBC.  
  
Author's Note: This was just the introductory chapter. I promise more mischief in future chapters, plus, Spike will be getting help in a future chapter.  
  
Please review and let me know which kids you think that I should concentrate on. Any activity suggestions will be most welcome. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.  
  
_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by puttiing Spike in charge of the daycare.  
_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.  
  
****

**Author's Note I: **To avoid any future confusion, the names, ages and any special abilities of Spike's charges are listed below. Apart from Sarah and Damien, none of the children are related.

_Livia, aged two, Slayer._

_David, aged three, Werewolf._

_Delia, aged three and a half, Seer._

_Sarah, aged four, Telepath. (twin)_

_Damien, aged four, Telepath. (twin)_

_Morgan, aged four and a half, Witch._

_James, aged five, Human._

_Bradley, aged five, Human._

_Chad, aged sixty eight, Feoral Demon._****

**Author's Note II: **Since Livia, followed by Morgan and Chad seem to have garnered the most interest, I'll probably concentrate most on them, but all the kids will get to cause trouble.

**Author's Note III: **I'd like to thank those who reviewed the first chapter. This is my first attempt at an 'Angel' story. All of the other stuff I've posted has been for 'Mutant X' but I couldn't resist the lure of gidgetgirl's challenge,

Words in / / = Thoughts.

Chapter 2.

**Lunchtime**

When Spike had first learned that the Wolfram and Hart daycare centre would be supplied with its meals by the staff of the employee canteen, his initial reaction had been one of intense relief.

After the more than a hundred years of his vampiric existence, Spike had learned to be good at a great many things.

Sadly, cooking was not one of them.

Once he saw the meals provided, however, he wished that he had been the one in charge of the menu.

Spike may not have been the greatest expert on small children, but even he knew that there was no way that he was going to persuade nine small children to willingly eat a dish that included both broccoli and spinach. 

_/This is going to be more difficult than averting an apocalypse! /_

As a Feoral demon, Chad's special dietary needs meant that he was supplied with a different – and wriggling – meal to the other children and Spike was thankful to see that he dug in without complaint.

Delia had taken one look at her plate before informing Spike, in no uncertain terms, that if he made her eat her vegetables, a big red monster was going to eat _him_.

The connection between the monster and Delia's lunch was never explained and the intense look of ferocity in the little girl's silver eyes unnerved Spike to such an extent that he let her be.

David had refused to eat his meal on the reasonable – to his own mind at least – grounds that wolfies only ate meat and once he saw that Spike wasn't buying his argument, he backed it up with the claim that he was 'lergic to yucky green stuff', taking advantage of the minute that Spike spent checking the extensive list detailing the allergies and special dietary needs of each of his charges to tip the despised vegetables into the nearest wastepaper basket.

Morgan had leaned over her plate, whispered a few words and then proceeded to eat without any complaint.

Livia had employed the time honoured 'terrible twos' technique of bursting into tears, calling Spike a 'mean bamp-eye' and threatening to 'state' him. She refused to be pacified until the blond vampire thrust a lollipop into her tiny hand.

Poor Spike was contemplating the virtues of suicide.

"Hey!" Bradley leaped to his face, an expression of outrage on his face, pointing an accusing finger at Morgan, the only child, save Chad, who was actually eating her meal. "Morgan's done something to her food!"

Even after only four hours with the children, Spike had seen enough to know that there was a bitter rivalry between Bradley and Morgan, who both vied for the position as leader of the group. As one of only two fully human children, it was clear even to someone as inexperienced with children as Spike that Bradley was overawed by the special abilities of his companions and that he clung to his status as the oldest (bar Chad) and as the 'alpha' of the group as the only things that set him apart from the common herd.

The war between the two children was bitter and often violent and Bradley in particular never missed an opportunity to tattle on his rival, for real or imagined offences.

Spike had been inclined to ignore the accusation at first until a glance at Morgan, still placidly eating her greens, aroused his own suspicions.

_/No kid eats **spinach **without a fight! /_

He gingerly picked up a small piece of broccoli from the little girl's plate and bit into it.

Even with his limited vampiric taste buds, he knew that something was not as it should be.

"CHOCOLATE!"

Morgan just smiled sweetly at him, finishing off her meal as though nothing was amiss.

Spike was torn between knowing that he should scold her and wanting to applaud her ingenuity.

"Do Livvie lunch!" the two year old Slayer clapped her hands in admiration, looking up at Morgan adoringly. "Livvie wan' choccy too!"

"I want jelly!" Sarah requested, speaking up for the first time since the children had sat down to lunch. There was a moment of silence as she and her twin exchanged a brief, wordless conversation. "Damien would like strawberry jelly, please."

"Can I have sherbet?" James asked excitedly, ignoring the glare of reproof Bradley was shooting in his direction.

"Okay." Morgan was clearly delighted with their attention and admiration "_Incan_ . . ."

Spike clapped a hand over the four year old's mouth before she could finish her incantation. "No spells!" He made a desperate effort to sound dignified and in control of the situation. "Everyone, eat your lunch – as it is!" He added warningly.

The nine most intimidating adversaries Spike had ever face in his very long life exchanged a series of meaningful looks.

He knew exactly what was coming.

"FOOD FIGHT!"

* * *

Two hours later 

**_Afternoon nap._**

After the exhaustive effort of getting his small charges calmed down and cleaned up and tucked in for their afternoon nap, Spike would have been more than happy to curl up in one of the unoccupied beds for a well deserved hour of rest.

Unfortunately for him, the dining room looked like a large food bomb had been detonated there and Spike spent the rest period, which he had been looking forward to since he entered the confines of the daycare centre as being an hour of downtime for him, scrubbing the muralled walls in an effort to rid them of the liberal coating of food globules adorning them.

He cursed the existence of his soul.

/If I could, I'd string the lot of them up from the nearest lamppost – Peaches too! I'd chuck the little platelets out of the highest window I could find! /

An absent smile crossed the blond vampire's face as his brain churned out scenario after scenario, each more gruesome than the last, as to how he could dispose of nine small irritating children.

A knock on the door heralded the arrival of Fred Burkle, resident science boffin, who peeped through the doorway, a commiserating smile on her pixyish face.

"I heard that you got stuck here." She said sympathetically.

"Bet Peaches is having himself a real laugh fest!" Spike commented bitterly.

"No, he . . ." Fred stopped dead in her tracks, unable to come up with anything to say in Angel's defence. "He does think that it's very funny." She finished lamely. "I heard that the people down in Accounting have started pool as to how long you can go without strangling one of the kids."

"Glad to know that everyone's taking so much pleasure out of my misery!" Spike's voice was gruff.

Fred patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Are they really that bad?"

"You have no idea!" Spike lowered his voice. "They're napping now, I don't want to wake them." He gestured to the now clean walls of the dining area. "Can you believe this – the Big Bad spending his time scrubbing spinach and mashed potato from the ceiling!"

"You know, you could have just got the cleaners to do it for you." Fred pointed out heedlessly.

Spike glowered at her.

"And to think that I'll have to do this all over again tomorrow!" He lamented. "What kind of moron tries to feed kids spinach?"

"Just ask the canteen people to send up hamburgers or pizza or something."

If Spike could, he would have blushed.

That simple solution had never occurred to him.

"Mr Spike?" A small voice interrupted Spike before he could kick himself. A very sleepy Livia toddled into the room, her beloved blue blanked clutched in her arms. "Livvie hafta go potty."

"I'll take her, shall I?" Fred offered, seeing the look of horrified disbelief on Spike's face. Without waiting for an answer, she scooped up the deceptively innocent looking toddler and bore her off to the bathroom.

"Is it up time yet, Mr Spike?" Delia, woken by the other child's movements, trotted into the room in Livia's wake.

Spike looked up at the clock and sighed.

_/Twenty past three. /_

"Close enough." He said aloud, slightly pissed off by the loss of the precious ten minutes of quiet.

"There now." Fred emerged form the bathroom and set Livia on her feet. She looked up at Spike. "I can stay for a while, if you need a hand." She offered.

Spike nodded enthusiastically, no longer caring if he looked desperate.

Delia went over to Fred and tugged on her lab coat.

"Tell Mr Silly Billy Brown Hair that the blue gooey go boom boom."

Spike suppressed a laugh at the little girl's less than flattering description of Knox.

Fred's eyes became very wide.

"The experiment!" She looked horrified. "I'm sorry, Spike, I have to go!"

"No, wait . . .!" Before Spike could protest, his last hope for aid had left.

He was on his own now.__

_/Damn you, Delia! /_

TBC.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank B Teenage Slayer for her hide and seek suggestion. I'll probably use it in the next chapter.

_Is there anything else anyone would like to see? Please review and let me know._


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.  
_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.  
_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Rating:** PG – just to be on the safe side. Mostly for Spike's language.

**Author's Note: **I'd like to thank all those who reviewed this story and a special thank you to whoever nominated this story for the Barefoot Awards. I'm so flattered! Thank you!

**Author's Note II: **Thanks again to B Teenage Slayer for her suggestion of a game of hide and seek.

Words in / / = Thoughts.

**Chapter 3.**

**_Two hours later._**

"Mr Spike?" David sidled up to Spike, smiling angelically. "Will you tell us a story? Please?"

"Stowy! Stowy! Stowy!" Livia, overhearing the young werewolf's request, started jumping up and down in excitement. "Livvie wan' a stowy – a bamp-eye stowy!" She added insistently.

"Yeah." Bradley chimed in enthusiastically. "Tell us a vampire story!"

Though the children had done nothing to endear themselves to Spike – quite the opposite – he wasn't about to traumatize eight under sixes and a juvenile Feoral demon with tales of his past exploits.__

_/Although, /_ He reflected mournfully. _/It would be as good a way as any to get out of this job. /_

"Uh . . .I uh . . . I don't know any vampire stories." He said lamely.

"Of course you do." Sarah told him briskly. She giggled, seemingly a propos of nothing. "The gypsy one is funny!"

Spike glared at the small telepath. "What did I say about reading Mr Spike's mind without permission?"

"Not too." The blond twins chorused sweetly.

"But how will you stop us?" Sarah asked curiously.

Spike couldn't think of an answer to that very reasonable question.

"Are you sure you guys wouldn't like a story about fairies?" Spike asked desperately. "Or leprechauns – leprechauns are good."

"No." Morgan glared at him. "Vampires."

"Bamp-eye! Bamp-eye! Bamp-eye! Livvie wan bamp-eye!" The toddler Slayer stamped her tiny foot for emphasis.

"Okay, okay." Spike lifted his hands in defeat, having no desire to unleash a Slayer temper tantrum. He flopped down on the couch. "I'll tell a vampire story."

Livia beamed up at him, satisfied. She climbed up onto the couch and into Spike's lap, wriggling a bit until she was comfortable. The other children gathered around, the older ones on the couch, the younger ones sitting cross legged on the floor, looking up expectantly at Spike. 

Livia looked up at the blond vampire, a commanding expression on her small face. "Tell!" She ordered.

Combing his mind for a suitable story, one that would satisfy them without scarring them for life, Spike considered how amused his enemies would be to see the Big Bad ordered about by a two year old girl.

_/Peaches would wet his knickers if he could see this! / _Spike thought bitterly.

Taking a deep breath, Spike launched into the traditional beginning to all good stories.

"Once upon a time . . ."

* * *__

**_Half an hour later._**

" . . . And so the heroic vampire took the amulet and wore it into battle, nobly sacrificing his own life to kill all the bringers and save the world. The End."

"Wow!" Bradley whistled softly in appreciation. "That was a really cool story, Mr Spike!"

"Livvie like stowy." The tiny Slayer announced, standing up to hug Spike tightly, wrapping her slightly chubby arms around his neck.

"What happened to the heroic vampire?" James asked eagerly. "Did he go to Heaven?"

Spike, finally managing to disengage himself from Livia's embrace, regarded his young charges for a moment before responding.

"Yeah," His voice was sarcastic. "He went to the bleedin' happiest place on Earth!"

* * *

**_Forty-five minutes later._**

"Sorry, I'm late." A serious looking man in his late thirties entered the daycare center, a sheepish smile on his face. "I'm Nathan Rivers – Bradley's dad. I got held up in the office." His son, the last of Spike's charges, ran up to him. The man scooped the little boy up into his arms. "I hope that he wasn't too much trouble."

If Spike hadn't been completely exhausted, he would have punched him.

* * *

**_Later that night._**

"I don't know what Peaches was thinking giving me this job!" Spike lamented. He paused, reconsidering his words. "On second thoughts, I know exactly what Captain Forehead was thinking – he wanted to have himself a right laugh at good old Spike's expense! Daft bugger! You'd think that he'd think more of the kids!" He added virtuously. "Surely they deserve better – I know nothing about kids! The little monsters were running wild today."

Fred patted his shoulder sympathetically. "They're just getting used to you – testing your limits." She comforted. "In a few days, they'll have settled down and they'll behave better."

"In a few days, I'll have staked myself!"            

"They're probably just high spirited." Fred remarked. "You said that you have a mini Slayer and a werewolf in the bunch?" Spike nodded confirmation. "Not to mention the fact that all little kids seem to have more energy than the average power plant! Did you try any kind of physical activity with them today?" Spike shook his head. "Well there's your problem!" Fred told them. "Try playing 'Duck, Duck, Goose', 'Simon Says' or 'Hide and Seek' with them – I'm sure you'll have no problems."

* * *

**_The next morning, half past nine._**

"Hide and seek?" Morgan shrugged, attempting to look nonchalant. "Sounds like fun."

"So who's 'It'?" Bradley asked bossily, not wanting to let Morgan hog all of the attention.

Spike covered his ears as a deafening chorus of 'Not It' – or in Livia's case 'No me' – sounded from every child in the room.

Delia giggled, delighted. "You're 'It', Mr Spike." She danced on the spot for a minute, plainly thrilled with this turn of events.

"Bloody brilliant!" Spike huffed. "So what do I have to do?"

* * *

" . . . Ninety seven, ninety eight, ninety nine, one hundred." Spike chanted robotically. "Ready or not, here I come."

He opened his eyes and looked around the playroom.

Even with his heightened vampiric senses, Spike couldn't see any movement in the room, which was as silent as a tomb.

He sniffed apprehensively, tying and failing to catch the scent of one of the children.

_/They're probably in the nap room or the bathroom or something. / _Spike thought, chiding himself for his initial panic. _/I'm worrying about nothing. /_

* * *

**_Five minutes later._**

It was official.

Spike had searched behind every chair and couch, under every bed and table, in every nook and cranny in the room, every spot that a child could have squeezed into, even some places that not even Livia could have fitted into.

He couldn't delude himself any longer.

The kids were gone.

Sighing, he took out the cell phone and hit the speed dial button.

"Fred here . . . I mean, Wolfram and Hart Science Division, Winifred Burkle . . . Fred  . . ."

"It's me, pet." Spike cut her off before she could continue.

"Spike?" She sounded concerned. "Is something wrong?"

The vampire chuckled dryly. "You could say that, luv."

"What happened?"

"I'm afraid your little 'Hide and Seek' idea didn't work out as well as you thought it would." Spike informed her, a distinct note of irritation creeping into his voice. "The kids are gone."

"Gone?!" The horror in the young physicist's voice was evident, even over the phone. "How did that happen?"

"You tell me, luv." Spike was both worried and supremely ticked off. "I was counting like I was supposed to and when I turned around, the kids were gone!"

"They must have run off to find hiding places." Fred said, dismayed. "I don't get it, you did tell them that their hiding places were limited to the daycare center, didn't you?" There was a brief, uncomfortable pause. "Spike? _Didn't _you?"

Even with her concern for the children, Fred couldn't stop herself from smiling at Spike's response.

"Bugger!"

TBC.

_I'm sorry – I can never resist leaving a little cliffhanger._

_The search for the missing munchkins begins in the next chapter, which I hope to have posted as soon as possible._

_For future chapters, would anyone be interested in seeing a visit from Buffy to the daycare center to see what Spike is up to? Is there anything else anyone would like to see or any of the team anyone would like to see interact with the kids?_

_Please keep the reviews and the suggestions coming._


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.  
_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.  
_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note: **To gidgetgirl – I'm afraid that I know next to nothing about small children. Since Livia is just turned two, I've put her as not being able to pronounce 'r's or 'v's. If the baby talk is annoying people, I can write what she means to say rather than a phonetic description of what she is actually saying. Thanks for the tip, and thanks again for the nomination. Oh, and by the way, thanks for your suggestion regarding Delia and her wall art – I'll be using it in this chapter.

**Author's Note II:** Does anyone know exactly how big the Wolfram and Hart building is?****

**Author's Note III:** Reviewer opinion seems to favour a Buffy visit, so I'll try to work that into a future chapter.

Words in / / = Thoughts.

**Chapter 4.**

"So, you're telling me that the kids could be anywhere in the building?" Spike's voice took on a panicked edge. "So – exactly how big is this place?"

"Let's see," Fred did some quick mental calculations. "Forty-five floors, with an average of twenty to thirty rooms per floor – huge! We're going to need some help. I'll call security."

"Oh no you don't!" Spike snatched her cell phone from her hand before she could dial. "No one else can know about this – I'm not going to give the big poofter the satisfaction of knowing that I lost all of the kids on my second day of the job!"

"Are you crazy?" Fred stared at the blond vampire as though he had grown three extra heads. "There's no way that we can possibly search the whole building without help. This place is full of dangerous stuff – what if one of them has managed to wander into one of the restricted areas, or the lab!" Her eyes widened in horror as she pictured one of the children taste testing some of the less than nutritious components of the experiments her department was running.

"Let's think," Spike held up a hand to calm the physicist before she could become hysterical. "If I was a little kid looking for a good time in this place –where would I go?"

He met Fred's eyes and knew that they were on the same wavelength.

"Weapons!"

* * *

**_Antique Weapons Collection._**

"Hi-yah!" Bradley hefted the antique sword above his head. "You're dead, Obi-Wan!"

"The Force is with me, Vader – not you!" It was with some difficulty that James managed to lift the mace, which weighed almost as much as he did, of the ground and hold it threateningly in front of him.

Bradley grinned at his friend. "This is the coolest game of Hide and Seek I've ever played."

"Yeah!" James nodded enthusiastically. "Mr Spike is way cooler than Mrs Murray!"

"Hey!" An indignant shout interrupted the boys' game. "What do you kids think you're doing here?"

The two five year olds took one look at the angry curator of the antique weapons collection and raced out of the room as fast as their short legs could carry them.

"Hey!" The curator bellowed angrily. "Come back here with those weapons!"

Wheezing heavily, he took off after the boys, knowing full well that he had no chance of catching them.

Lifting his cell phone to his ear, he dialed the number for security.

"Jackson? Baines here. We have a security breach."

* * ***__**

**_Wesley's Office._**

While Wesley Wyndham Pryce, former Watcher and self styled rogue demon hunter and current resident expert on all things mystical, was not blessed with the heightened senses of Angel or Spike, or with the telempathic abilities of Lorne, he knew as soon as he entered his office, that he was not alone.

"Who's in here? Show yourself!"

A muffled giggle was the only reply to his demand.

Wesley reached into his pocket for the handgun he had made a point of carrying with him since the visit of his 'father' and, holding the gun firmly in one hand, he circled the desk where the giggle had originated and looked under it.

A white face, framed by thick jet-black hair glared up at him, furious at this rude interruption. 

"_Bestus_!"

Wesley stared down in horror at his hands, now thickly coated in pale brown fur. He felt a curious sensation in his ears and when he gingerly reached up to touch them; he discovered that they were now furry, at least six inches long and pointed.

Smiling approvingly at the results of her handiwork, Morgan picked up the old leather bound book she had been reading and skipped out of the room, not troubled in the least by the braying sounds that emerged from poor Wesley's throat when he attempted to yell at her to stop.

She hugged the spell book to her chest. 

If this was the sort of spells it held, then she was definitely going to hang onto it.

* * *

"Spike!" A less than amused Gunn stormed up to the vampire, a small Feoral demon slung over his shoulder. He put Chad down and stood glaring at the vampire. "Is there a special reason that I found this kid making a fort in my office?"

"I was hiding!" Chad argued, ticked off at being dragged away from what he thought was a fine fort. "And I'm older than you are, Mr Stinky!"

"Mr Spike!" Bradley raced over to the blond vampire, James hard on his heels. He gestured towards the security guards who were chasing them. "These mean men won't share their toys with us!"

"Weapons aren't toys." Fred rebuked, seeing that Spike was far too amused by Chad's 'Mr Stinky' crack to say anything. "They're too dangerous for little boys to play with."

"We're not little!" Bradley objected, stung.

"Yeah!" James backed up his companion. "We're five!"

"Well, you can't play with weapons until you're six!" Spike announced. _/By then, they'll be somebody else's problem. / _He saw Chad's eyes light up. "And if you're a Feoral demon, you have to wait until you're a hundred." He added hastily.

"No fair!" Chad grumbled.

Spike did a quick head count. "Three down, six to go."

"Hold up!" Gunn was appalled. "You lost _all _of them? How the hell did you manage that?"

Spike just grimaced. "Don't ask."

"Security is on the lookout for them, sir.' One of the security guards reported, bending down to pry the purloined weapons from Bradley and James's unwilling fingers. "Should we let the boss know?"

"No!" Spike insisted, punctuating his command with a low, intimidating growl. "Angel never hears about this."

"He's right." Spike was shocked to hear Gunn, of all people, backing him up. "The last thing we want is for Angel to get _too_ happy."

The blond vampire scowled, but accepted the logic of the other man's argument.

"So where are they likely to be?" Fred pondered aloud. "Where would they be likely to go?"

Spike, to whom this question was addressed, shrugged blankly. "How would I know luv? I met the little wankers for the first time yesterday!"

"You must have some idea." Fred pressed. "One of the kids is a Slayer, isn't she? Where would a Slayer be likely to go?"

"She's two, pet." Spike reminded her patiently. "For all I know, she's after falling asleep somewhere."

"You know, that's not a bad idea." Gunn remarked. "I practically raised my little cousin, and we used to find her curled up and dead to the world in some of the weirdest places – once we found her sleeping behind the refrigerator, covered in dust!" he chuckled briefly at the memory before sobering. "But we'd need half the firm if we were to search every nook and cranny in _this_ place."

"Which brings us back to square diddly!" Spike finished. "Bloody marvelous! So what are we supposed to do?" he turned to the others, an appealing expression on his face, more worried than he cared to admit about his small charges.

"Look," Fred said in pacifying tones. "We'll get someone to take these three" he gestured towards Bradley, James and Chad. "Back to the daycare center and keep an eye on them there – could one of you do it?" She looked up at the head of the security team who nodded his assent. "Then we'll round up the others one by one and take them back – and pray that someone comes across them before they can do any real damage."

A loud, insistent braying heralded the arrival of a Pan-like figure, still wearing Wesley's glasses.

Spike looked across at Fred, whose gaze was fixed on the bizarre figure before her. 

"I think that it's a little late for that." He remarked dryly.

* * *

**_Entertainments Division._**

Lorne hadn't had this much fun in months.

The two tiny telepaths, a boy and a girl, were perched one on each knee and the three of them were belting out a rousing rendition of 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat' at the top of their lungs.

"Sing us another, Uncle Lorne." The little girl demanded, clapping her hands in anticipation. "You know you want to." She added coaxingly.

Lorne wagged a playful finger at her. "Now, now, you're not reading Uncle Lorne, are you?"

"Don't have to." She responded cheerfully. "Sing!"

Lorne could never resist an appreciative audience.

"Say," He said before he started singing, the thought having just occurred to him. "Where'd you kidlets come from anyway?"

* * *

**_Outside Angel's office._**

Harmony was sitting at her desk 'working' – loosely translated as doing her nails and chatting on the phone – when a tiny, scratching sound caused her to look beneath her desk.

A cheeky face beamed up at her.

"Hiya." The little boy waved.

Harmony screamed as loud as she possibly could, causing the boy to cover his ears.

"BLONDIE BEAR!"

* * *

"'Scuse me, Mr . . .Spike?" The mail guy who had replaced the late Number 5 tapped the blond vampire on the shoulder apprehensively.

"What?!"

The man drew back a little at the ferocity of Spike's snap. "Sorry to bother you, sir, but I think that I've found someone that belongs to you."

Without further ado, the man bent down and, shifting a few parcels on the lower shelf of his mail tray to reveal a peacefully sleeping toddler clutching a blue blanket.

"Thank God!" If Spike could, he would have exhaled in relief. "That's eight of them – who are we missing?"

* * ***__**

Angel's Office, Five minutes later. 

After what felt like an eternity of early morning meetings, Angel, helper of the helpless ands champion of the Powers That Be, wanted nothing more than to relax in his office with a warm pint of pig's blood and watch a good hockey game.

He was less than amused, therefore, when he entered his office to find it already occupied and by someone intent on destroying the room's décor, at that.

The tiny dark haired sprite looked up from the intricate mural she had improved the wall with and hid what Angel strongly suspected was a permanent marker behind her back, regarding the less than amused vampire with defiant silver eyes.

"I didn't do it!"

TBC.

_They're so cute at this age, aren't they?_

_Next Chapter: Spike decides that he needs some help and the kids hold a Council of War. Plus, more Morgan magic, more Delia and possibly a Slayer tantrum. _


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.  
_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.  
_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note I: **I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed this story for their kind words and their suggestions. I'm sorry that this chapter has taken so long to post. I'll try to be quicker in the future.

**Author's Note II: **Livia's speech has been modified to make it easier to read. The character can't pronounce the letters 'v' or 'r' and she has a tendency to drop the 't's at the end of words but from now on, the baby talk will be dropped in favour of a description of what she means to say.

Words in / / = Thoughts.

**Chapter 5.**

**_Angel's Office, fifteen minutes later._**

"Well," Angel drew himself up to his full height and tried to look as imposing and impressive as possible. "What have you got to say for yourselves?"

Delia, Morgan, Bradley and James, who were lined up in front of his desk, were less than overawed by his manner.

Morgan, unable to resist the temptation, gave an exaggerated yawn of boredom.

Angel pounced on her instantly.

"Young lady, do you mind telling me why you turned Wesley into a . . . whatever you turned him into?"

Morgan shrugged nonchalantly. "I felt like it."

Delia covered her mouth with her hands in a failed attempt to smother her giggles. "It was funny!" She defended, looking up at the vampire with an innocent, wide eyed appealing expression which, sadly for her, Angel was completely unaffected by. The three year old turned to Morgan with a hopeful smile, gesturing towards the disgruntled former Watcher, who was growing furrier and more animalistic by the minute. "If Mr Wesley turns into a pony, can I keep him?"

Morgan nodded indulgently.

"No fair!" Bradley pouted. "I want a pony too!"

The Wesley creature brayed unhappily.

"No!" Angel barked. "No one is going to be keeping Wesley. Change him back!" He ordered, glaring down at the four year old sorceress. "Now!"

"Can't."

"And why not?" Angel was perilously close to losing his temper.

"I don't know how." Morgan announced triumphantly.

Angel scowled at her. "Yes you do."

"Maybe." Morgan gave him a sweetly impudent smile. "But you can't _make_ me do it."

She held his eyes in a level stare until the vampire finally looked away, knowing that he was the loser in this particular battle of wills.

"Gunn, could you take Wesley down to the Enchantments and Sorcery department and see if they can help him please?" Angel said at last, acknowledging defeat and abandoning all hope of getting Morgan to obey him.

"Sure thing." Gunn led the now very pissed off Wesley out of the office.

"As for you two," Angel moved on to Bradley and James. "If I ever catchy either of you playing with weapons again I'll . . . I'll . . ." Angel racked his brain, trying to come up with an appropriate threat. "I'll use them on you!" he announced finally. /_Couldn't you have come up with something better? / _His inner voice chided him.

All four children dissolved into gales of laughter.

_/Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for. / _Angel thought grimly.

"Yeah, right!" Bradley snorted in derision.

"Like you would hurt sweet, innocent little kids like us!" James stuck out his tongue.

_/How is it that I can avert an apocalypse without breaking a sweat, / _Angel thought unhappily. _/ But I can't get this bunch of little brats to do as they're told? Oh well / _He smiled absently. _/At least they're giving Spike a hard time! /_

He glared down at the youngest – and in his opinion at least, the worst – of the four small offenders standing in front of him.

Delia just smiled up at him without a trace of apprehension.

For the life – or rather, unlife – of him, Angel could not figure out who the child reminded him of.

"Is there a special reason that you drew that" He waved a hand to the wall where two janitors were scrubbing furiously with just about every cleanser known to man in a futile attempt to get rid of the images adorning it. "On my nice clean wall?"

"I told you!" Delia sighed impatiently, wondering what it would take to get the message to sink into the vampire's thick skull. "I didn't do it!"

"Oh really?" Angel's coldly sarcastic tone could and had reduced many an evildoer to a quivering mass of terror. Delia was completely unfazed by it. "So who did?"

"The pretty black kitty." Delia rolled her eyes, as if this should have been obvious to even the dimmest of individuals. "He told me to tell you that the giant red monster will get you if you yell at me." She added sweetly. "So I wouldn't if I were you."

"You might want to listen to her, Angel." Fred warned, speaking up for the first time. "She was right about Knox's experiment – he's still trying to scrape the remains of his experiment off the ceiling!"

Privately, Angel didn't believe a word that came out of the little girl's mouth, but he wasn't prepared to be reduced to arguing with a three year old when the real culprit was standing in front of him.

"I want the four of you to wait outside." He addressed the children calmly. "I need to have a word with Mr Spike." Even little Livia could not have mistaken the note of scorn in Angel's voice as he spoke Spike's name.

Fred ushered the four children out of the room before Angel could change his mind. Although she never would have told them, she was secretly rather amused by the various ways in which Spike's little charges had 'livened up' the office and she wanted to get them away from Angel before he strangled them.

Morgan whispered something under her breath as she left, glaring at Angel.

Angel waited until the children had left the room before turning on his grandchilde.

"What kind of an idiot are you?" He demanded contemptuously. "Is it so difficult to take care of a few children for a couple of hours without letting them cause complete and total havoc?"

"I'd like to see you do better!" Spike retorted, stung. "And it's not like they did anything really bad – I don't think any of them nailed a puppy to a wall!"

"Very funny." Angel scowled. "I never thought that I'd live to see the day when a gang of little kids got the better of William the Bloody."

"Look, Captain Forehead!" Spike shouted, losing his temper completely. "I don't know what kind of sick joke this was but ha ha, very funny, I can't handle the little wankers – are you happy now? Find someone else to run that circus! Or at least get someone to help me!"

"No." Angel gave Spike a nasty smile. "If you can't handle those little hellions, then that's your problem. The daycare centre is your responsibility until I decide otherwise."

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" 

"Yes," Angel leaned back in his chair, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "Yes I am."

"Go to Hell, you bastard!" Spike stormed out of the room, furious.

Angel sat for a moment, savouring his triumph over the other vampire.

He rose to check on the janitors' progress.

At least, he tried to.

To his dismay, Angel found that he was stuck fast to the seat of his chair.

"Err, guys?" He gave the two janitors a sheepish look. "A little help here?"

* * *

**_Outside Angel's Office._**

The four children exchanged an indignant look.

"He can't talk to our Mr Spike like that!" Morgan was outraged.

"Yeah!" For the first time in their acquaintance, Bradley was in full agreement with his rival. "Mr Spike is the coolest guy we've ever had in daycare!"

"He's even better than that guy who used to breath fire!" James smiled at the fond memory.

"Mr Angel's a poopy head!" Delia declared with surprising vehemence.

"I agree." Morgan was decisive. "We need to teach him a lesson."

* * *

**_Daycare Centre, eleven o'clock._**

Spike had been pleasantly surprised and understandably cooperative when all of his charges, backing up their claims that they were tired out by their exciting morning with plenty of exaggerated yawns, announced their intention of taking a mid morning nap at the same time as Livia, the baby of the group.

Naturally, none of the children had any intention of wasting the nap hour on_ sleeping_.

The hour spent in the dormitory, away from adult supervision, was the perfect place for a meeting.

"Mr Angel needs to be taught a lesson." Morgan kept her voice low enough so that Spike couldn't hear her. "We can't let him get away with talking to our Mr Spike the way he did." The four children who had had the dubious privilege of overhearing Angel and Spike's conversation had already related the story – complete with exaggerations – to those who had not been lucky enough to have a front row seat for the show.

"We know that we have to do something." Even when they were united under a common goal, Bradley couldn't keep from belittling his rival. "But what do you think we should _do_, Miss Smarty Pants?"

"I could bite him." David offered brightly.

Bradley was doubtful. "I don't think that you can turn a vampire into a werewolf."

"It'll still hurt." David wasn't prepared to have his idea dismissed so quickly.

"That's true." Morgan conceded. "We might do that, if no one has anything better."

"I say we give Livvie all the candy she can eat, then sick her on him." Bradley suggested.

"Candy?" Livia was roused from her semi-conscious state by the prospect. "Candy for Livvie?"

"We'll read him, if you like." Sarah offered on her own and Damien's behalf. "Then tell you all his secrets so we can tell everyone."

"Turn him into a frog, Morgan." James was so excited that he could barely keep from jumping on the bed. "Or a duck. And take pictures for Mr Spike."

"Candy for Livvie!" The two year old was piqued that the promise of candy seemed to have dissipated.

"Later." 

Had it been anyone but Morgan who spoke, Livia would have continued her protests but, after a word from her idol, she subsided.

"Delia?" Morgan looked over at the other little girl, who had been silent until now. The three year old had a peaceful, dreamy expression on her small face which, though it fooled some into thinking her a quiet, harmless little angel, told everyone who knew her that she was plotting a particularly horrible prank. "What are you thinking?"

"Mr Angel's going off to Dreamland." Her silver eyes were wistful and faraway. "We should sing him a lullaby."

It took a moment for her friends to catch on to her idea.

Morgan and Bradley exchanged a sly smile.

This was a plan they both approved of wholeheartedly.

All they needed now was a diversion.

* * *

**_Ten minutes later._**

Spike was roused from his fantasies of turning his grandsire into Angel-kabobs by a loud wailing.

Seconds later, a two year old whirlwind charged into the room and flung herself on the floor, kicking her legs and howling at the top of her lungs.

"CANDY! CANDY! CANDY! CANDY FOR LIVVIE! NOW! NOW! NOW!"

Her tiny arms and legs flailing, Livia screamed for all she was worth, forgetting her original role as a decoy and pouring her heart and soul into wheedling candy from poor Spike.

"Livia! Calm down!" Spike attempted to restrain the toddler, receiving a fist in the jaw for his pains.

"NO FAIR! NO FAIR! NO FAIR! NO FAIR!" She was shouting it so quickly that it all came out as one word.

Seeing that her methods were proving unsuccessful, the miniature Slayer dashed over to the table and started throwing every crayon she could get her hands on at the long suffering Spike.

The blond vampire was so busy being pelted with crayons by his infant nemesis that he failed to notice his other eight charges slipping out of the room.

Once in the hall, Morgan gave a small half smile of satisfaction. 

Phase One of their plan was now complete.

TBC.

Next Chapter: Phase Two of Operation Revenge. What do the kids have planned for Angel? Please keep up the reviews; it's so nice to know that someone is reading.

Once Spike gets his assistant, there will be plenty of magic from Morgan as she tortures the newcomer to the daycare centre and there will be more about Delia's origins in a future chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.  
  
~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~  
  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.  
  
Requirements:  
  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.  
  
Author's Note: I'd like to thank Just Another Angel for her musical suggestion, which I have used in this chapter.  
  
Author's Note II: To gidgetgirl - It's more a matter of pride for the kids than genuine liking of Spike. Apart from Delia, none of the kids have any particular feelings about Angel one way or the other but they all find Spike entertaining.  
  
Author's Note III: I know nothing about reulations regarding childcare in California, so apologies for any mistakes.  
  
Author's Note IV: Apologies for the lack of formatting. I'm posting this chapter in Word Pad format and that doesn't allow me to save documents in html. format.  
  
Words in / / = Thoughts.  
  
Words in / / = Italics.  
  
*  
  
Chapter 6.  
  
Under the regime of the late Mrs Murray, Music and Movement Monday had been the event most enjoyed by the children and most loathed by the employees unlucky enough to have an office close to the daycare centre.  
  
The partially deaf Mrs Murray had been spared the worst of the appalling cacophony of noise that her tone deaf charges so enthusiastically produced and as a result, she had laboured under the delusion that expressing themselves through music was a necessary and beneficial part of the children's routine.  
  
With Livia making enough noise to drown out a demon onslaught, the other eight children were able to slip across the hall to the supply closet and help themselves to their favourite instruments before marching towards the elevator for Phase Two of their plan.  
  
* * *  
  
The same time, Angel's office.  
  
After signing the last of his mountain of documents, Angel was completely wiped out.  
  
"Harmony!" His ditzy blonde secretary came rrunning when he bellowed. "I'm going upstairs to rest for a while, keep track of any calls that come in and, under no circumstances whatsoever are you to let anyone wake me up before lunchtime. Understood?"  
  
"Got it, bossy." A vampire herself, Harmony could sympathise with her employer's nocturnal nature.  
  
"Good." Angel plopped his papers in the 'Out' tray and rose from his desk, plodding wearily towards the elevator. "See you in a few hours."  
  
"Sleep tight."  
  
* * *  
  
The same time, the daycare centre.  
  
"Livvie, love, calm down!" Spike pleaded, pulling lumps of brightly coloured wax out of his hair. "Please! You can have candy later, just take your nap now."  
  
Had Spike not been so distraught, He would have seen the flash of panic in the tiny Slayer's eyes at his suggestion.  
  
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"  
  
Spike fought the urge to cover his ears. The kid had a powerful set of lungs!  
  
"NO NAP FOR LIVVIE! CANDY FOR LIVVIE! NOW! NOW! NOW!"  
  
The two year old cast herself to the floor again, howling at the top of her lungs and kicking her chubby legs, catching poor Spike in the gut when he came too close.  
  
/Bugger! / Spike thought, massaging his injured stomach as he looked down at the toddler who was red-faced from the exertion of screaming for so long. /I don't know how to deal with this s**t! / He cast a lok to the door of the dormitory. /At least the rest of the little wankers are behaving themselves. /  
  
* * *  
  
Five minutes later, the hallway outside Angel's bedroom.  
  
Thanks to a well placed glamour charm from Morgan, the octet remained invisible to the eyes of the adult Wolfram and Hart employees they had encountered on their way to Angel's quarters and, apart from Chad accidentally treading on the toes of one of the law clerks, who had muttered something about needing a vacation before moving on, their trip had been without incident.  
  
Delia led the way to Angel's room and her companions, who during their time in the daycare centre had learned not to question her extraordinary knowledge, followed, laden down with half the contents of the instrument shelf.  
  
"This is Mr Angel's room." Delia announced, comming to a sudden stop. "Ssh." She put a finger to her lips. "He's sleeping."  
  
"Not for long." Nodding towards the others, Chad charged into the room. "ATCHOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
  
"AGGGGGGGH!" Angel, finding himself on the recieving end of a faceful of Feoral mucus, was powerless to move as the paralysis spread through his body, leaving him only able to move his mouth a little. "What the . . .?"  
  
"Quiet!" Morgan snapped, pointing an accusing finger at the unhappy vampire. "You don't get to talk."  
  
"Yeah!" Bradley, flanked by James, stood behind the small sorceress. Both of the boys were holding a set of wooden sticks poised threateningly over their brightly painted drums. "We get to make the noise now!"  
  
"You were mean to our Mr Spike!" Chad scolded indignantly.  
  
"And you thought bad things about us." Sarah added knowledgeably. Damien backed her up with an enthusiastic nod.  
  
"So now you have to pay." Morgan finished cheerfully.  
  
/I don't believe this! / Had Angel's vocal cords been working, he would have groaned. /They've known Spike for less than two days! /  
  
"Mr Spike is part of the daycare centre." Sarah told him severely, picking up on his train of thought.  
  
"Yeah!" David stuck out his chin obstinately. "He's *ours*!"  
  
"That means that nobody can pick on him except us." Morgan declared, glaring at Angel.  
  
Delia scowled at Angel, an icy expression in her silver eyes. "I don't like you." She announced. "And the pretty black kitty doesn't like you either!"  
  
"Come on, guys." Bradley took charge. "Let's do what we came here to do."  
  
Sarah and Damien both produced tin whistles, Delia had a large brass bell set, David had a triangle andf Chad frightened Angel half to death (figuratively speaking) by dragging an enormous set of cymbals into the room.  
  
Morgan, using a purloined drumstick as a baton, stood in front of the other children ready to conduct her little orchestra.  
  
"So," She turned to Angel with a sweet smile. "Any requests?"  
  
/Stake me! Stake me now! /  
  
* * *  
  
Ten minutes later, the daycare centre.  
  
Spike was ready to impale himself on the largest, sharpest stake he could find.  
  
Livia was curled up on the couch, chewing happily on the bag of gummi bears that Spike had finally manged to pacify her with, looking so content that he could scarcely believe that she was the same child who had created such havoc.  
  
The little girl finished off the last of her sweets, licked her fingers to make sure she got all the sugar that was available and toddled over to Spike, who half flinched at her approach.  
  
"T'ank you Mr Spike." She climbed into his lap and hugged him tightly, planting a sticky kiss on his cheek.  
  
Spike returned the hug, thanking every god and goddess ever worshipped that the two year old was so easily bribed.  
  
"Livvie sleepy now."  
  
"Alright, pet," Spike scooped her up. "Let's get you tucked in for the rest of naptime, huh?"  
  
Tired and happy, Livia forgot her mission as a decoy completely.  
  
Spike carried the toddler into the room and almost dropped her when he looked inside.  
  
Two long rows of beds were lined up before him and not a child in sight.  
  
"Bugger!"  
  
* * *  
  
Ten minutes later, Angel's bedroom.  
  
After a rousing rendition of 'When The Saints Go Marching In', Angel was deeply regretting his insistence that Security didn't install a panic button next to his bed.  
  
Not that he could have used it - Chad's paralysis had left him as rigid as a statue - but he would have liked to have at least a *possibility* of escape.  
  
"Now," Morgan beamed as the last note of the chorus faded away. "We should have time for one more song." She turned to her friends. "Any ideas?"  
  
Damien whispered something in her ear and Morgan's smile widened.  
  
"Excellent idea." She said approvingly.  
  
"It's his favourite." Sarah told her solemnly.  
  
"Did you guys read the tune?"  
  
"Uh huh." Damien wrinkled his nose in distase. "My grandma plays that song."  
  
The kids all went into a huddle to share a quick lesson in the tune.  
  
Angel had a sinking feeling that he knew what was coming, even before they started playing.  
  
/Great! / He thought, as the first tenative notes sounded. /I'll never be able to enjoy Barry Manilow again! /  
  
* * *  
  
Same time, Hallway  
  
/S**t! S**t! S**t! S**t! / Spike ran through the hallways with Livia in his arms. A candy bar had induced the two year old to spill her companions plans and she was quite enjoying the excitement. /They're probably torturing Angel right now! I've go to . . . /  
  
"Hang on!" Spike stopped dead in his tracks. "What do I care if the munchkins want to play 'Torture the Poofter'?"  
  
"Dunno." Livia assumed he was speaking to her. "Play now?"  
  
"Good idea, little love." Spike shifted the toddler Slayer into a more comfortable position. "What do you say I rustle us up some ice cream?"  
  
"Yea!" Livia clapped her hands happily.  
  
Grinning, Spike turned around and carried the two year old back to the daycare centre.  
  
/This oughta teach Captain Forehead that he can't stick me with a job like this and get away with it! /  
  
* * *  
  
Two hours later, Angel's office.  
  
It had taken the best part of an hour for the effects of Chad's paralysing mucus to wear off and Angel, understandably angry about his experiences, had had to be restrained from throttling the children, who were more than satisfied with the results of their handiwork.  
  
". . . I'm going to kill him!" Angel ranted, while Gunn tried to smother his laughter. "I've been to Hell and let me tell you, those little brats are worse! And Spike didn't even *try* to stop them! He'd have let themm go on all day if they wanted to! And to think," ANgel gave an injured sniff. "That he had the nerve to ask me to get him an assistant!"  
  
"You should."  
  
Angel glared at his friend. "Et tu Charles?"  
  
"State childcare regulations require a minimum of one carer for every five children." Gunn tapped his bald head. "Legal upgrade."  
  
"I hate you sometimes." Angel growled. "Where am I supposed to find . . ."  
  
A timid knock on the door heralded the arrival of Harmony, who sauntered up to his desk with a mug of warm pig's blood.  
  
"Here's your blood, bossy. . .Oops!"  
  
Angel glared down at his jeans, now soaked in congealing red liquid.  
  
"Harmony?" He made a determined effort to keep the fury out of his voice. "How would you like a promotion?"  
  
The less than intellectually blessed vampire beamed.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, the daycare centre.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAGH! BLONDIE BEAR! HELP ME!"  
  
Spike watched in grim amusement as his former lover tore around the playroom, chased by a shrieking Livia brandishing a crayon.  
  
"Livvie state you! You bad!"  
  
Harmony was running for her life and close to tears.  
  
The other children were just watching, applauding the little Slayer's efforts.  
  
/Great! / Spike thought dryly, surveying the scene. /Just when I thought that things couldn't get any worse! /  
  
*  
  
TBC.  
  
Next Chapter: Harmony gets to grips with her new job. More Morgan magic and maybe more about Delia's origins. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.__

_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.__

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

Words in / / = Thoughts.

**Chapter 7.**

**_Fifteen minutes later._**

Spike smiled grimly as he regarded his small charges.

Sarah and Damien were sitting on one of the couches, exchanging a telepathic conversation. Bradley and James were engaged in some kind of wrestling match, refereed by Chad. David was hungrily devouring a snack. Livia, after an unsuccessful attempt to stake Harmony with a crayon, was hugging her bedraggled stuffed rabbit to her chest and prattling to it. Delia was drawing and Morgan – Spike didn't even want to know what she was plotting.

Harmony was huddled in a corner, watching the children apprehensively and close to tears.

_/Yup, / _Spike thought to himself. _/Just another day at daycare. /_

* * *

**_An hour and a half later._**

"I just don't know what to do, Blondie Bear!" Harmony complained tearfully.

Bradley gave a snort of laughter. "Blondie Bear?" He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

If Spike could, he would have blushed. "For starters, Harm, don't call me 'Blondie Bear' in front of the platelets, alright. And they're not that bad – once you get to know them." He lied through his teeth. Although he had no great love for Harmony, he didn't want her to have a nervous breakdown, not on her first day anyway.

"Not that bad?!" Harmony gave him an incredulous look. "The little one tried to stake me! And that other little girl is creeping me out!" She nodded in Delia's direction. "Doesn't she remind you of . . .?"

"Yeah." Spike cut her off. "We've got her for the night, I'm afraid." He added glumly. "Her Mum's at some big meeting halfway across the country. Don't worry about the tiny bit," He said, getting off the disturbing subject of his sire. "She takes two naps a day and once you give Livvie some candy, she'll love you. And the others aren't too bad – just avoid Chad if he gets a cold."

"Why?"

Spike shuddered. "You don't want to know."

"Right." Harmony said brightly, her brow furrowing as she made mental notes. "Chad – colds. Livia – candy. Delia – creepy." She failed to notice the little Seer look up with a glare. "Anything else?"

There was a deafening crash as Bradley and James's exertions ended up bringing the bookshelf down on top of them.

"Not really." Spike said dryly. "You'll pick it up as you go along."

* * *****

**_Two hours later._**

After an early lunch of pepperoni pizza, followed by a dessert of jelly and ice cream, the kids were energized and ready for some fun.

"Can we play music for Mr Angel again?" James asked eagerly.

"He really hated it." Sarah informed Spike. "It was fun for us." Her twin, for whom she did most of the talking, nodded confirmation.

"If we do it again, we might be able to make him cry!" Bradley was enthusiastic. "Can we?"

Spike badly wanted to say yes, but even he didn't have the heart to put his grandsire through that ordeal a second time. "How about we play a game instead?" He suggested coaxingly.

"Hide and Seek?" David asked, his eyes brightening at the thought.

"No!" Spike was not, under any circumstances, going to put himself through a repeat performance of yesterday's fiasco. "How about . . ."He combed his brain, trying to remember another of the games Fred had suggested. " . . . Duck, Duck, Goose?"

The children nodded their approval.

"Good." Spike's smile faltered. "So do any of you know how to play?"

"I do." Morgan spoke up. "Mrs Murray used to play it sometimes."

"Good." Spike grinned at her. "You guys get started, while Miss Harmony and I get our lunch – and no leaving the room!" He added warningly.

"Yes, Mr Spike." His charges chorused sweetly.

Spike watched suspiciously as his charges sat down in a ring and started the game, with Chad as 'It'. He half-expected some particularly appalling mischief and so was pleasantly surprised to see the game proceeding without incident.

_/The little blighters must be coming down with something. / _He mused. "Come on, Harm." He threw his assistant a wry smile. "Let's grab some blood while the peace lasts."

Harmony needed no further prompting. She charged in the direction of the kitchenette, Spike following at a more dignified pace.

_/Surely they can stay out of trouble for two minutes! /_

* * *

**_Two minutes later._**

Harmony drained the last of her mug of blood with a contented sight. "I needed that." She turned to Spike with a plaintive expression. "Are they always this bad?"

Spike chuckled. "Love, this is a _quiet _day by their standards!"

Harmony stared at him in horrified disbelief.

Spike would have elaborated with details of their charges antics, but he didn't have the heart to do it.

She would learn in time.

A cacophony of quacking burst forth from the playroom.

"Bollocks!" Spike tossed his mug aside and ran into the playroom, harmony hard on his heels.

"Duck. . . Duck. . . Duck . . .Duck. . .Goose!" As Morgan touched the heads of Damien, Delia, James, Livia and Bradley, the children were transformed into whatever animal she had named. Another three ducks Spike assumed were the other children were flapping about the room, making more noise than they ever could have made in their human state.

Spike turned to the other vampire with a grimace. "Like I was saying, Harm, this is a quiet day for them."

* * *****

**_Forty minutes later._**

"Miss Harmy?" Livia sidled over to where Harmony was sitting. "Do Livvie hair please?" She turned a beseeching smile on the hapless vampire. "Livvie want pretty hair like Miss Harmy."

"Ahhh!" Harmony was a sucker for compliments, even if they were from a two year old. "Aren't you sweet!"

Livia climbed up onto the couch next to the vampire and held out he chubby hands. "Nail too, please."

"Will you do my nails please, Miss Harmony?" Sarah, overhearing Livia's request, joined them, smiling expectantly at her new caregiver.

"And mine?" Delia requested, proffering her hands.

"Sure!" Harmony smiled happily. _/Maybe this new gig won't be so bad after all. / _She thought, running to her handbag and unearthing, among other things, a comb, a tube of lipstick and several small bottles of nail polish and almost sprinting in the direction of the bathroom. "Who's first?"

* * *

**_Twenty minutes later._**

Spike had to admit that he had underestimated his ex.

He would have been willing to lay odds that the ditsy blonde would have been even worse with the kids that he was but she had succeeded in keeping their four female charges and Damien, who was never far from his twin's side, occupied while Spike attempted to break up the free for all fist fight that had started between Bradley and Chad, ably seconded by James and David, over a Candyland dispute.

Mr Spike?" A tiny hand pulled on the hem of his shirt.

Spike could barely keep from laughing when he looked down. 

Livia's hair was piled into a high ponytail on top of her head, secured with an assortment of glittery hair slides and scrunchies, the nails of her small hands were painted in sparkly hot pink nail varnish and there was a dab of lipstick on her tiny rosebud mouth.

"Livvie pretty!" The two year old announced, holding out her arms for Spike to lift her up. As soon as she was securely held in his arms, Livia rested her head on Spike's shoulder and yawned. "Livvie sleepy."

"Alright, pet." Spike rubbed her back gently, checking the clock on the wall. "It's almost twenty-five past two, nearly naptime."

"Nap for Livvie." The toddler was coming close to drowsing off in his arms.

"I think its naptime for everyone." Spike looked over at the four boys. "Pack it in, lads, it can wait until later."

He considered it a great sign of progress that they obeyed him, making only a few half-hearted grumbles.

"Harm!" Spike called, frowning when the only answer he received was a collective giggle. He looked down at Livia. "What are they up to in there, pet?"

"Make up!" The toddler announced gleefully, clapping her hands.

_/Surprise, Surprise! /_

"Harm!" Spike called again. "It's naptime!" He headed into the bathroom. "What's going . . ." Spike dissolved into gales of laughter. "Oh, this is just too good!"

"Morgan gave Miss Harmony a magic makeover." Delia announced cheerfully.

"So I see." Spike grinned. "Interesting look."

"What?!" Panicked, Harmony whipped a compact out of her purse, squinting at the small mirror! "I can't see anything!"

"You're a vampire, you twit!" Spike snorted in derision. "Look at your hair!"

"What's wrong with my . . ." Harmony pulled a long strand of her hair out to inspect it.

She screamed.

"BLUE!!!!"

* * *****

**_An hour and a half later._**__

"How much longer do we have to stay here?" Harmony moaned, for the tenth time in as many minutes.

"Rough day?" Spike asked dryly.

"Don't start!" Harmony glared at him. "I could stake Angel for giving me this sucky job!"

"You and me both, love." Spike responded wearily. "Still, there are times that it's not so bad here."

"Really?" Harmony raised a sceptical eyebrow. "When?"

"When they've gone home."

"Oh." Harmony brightened for a second. "At least they're being quiet." She said hopefully, looking over at the children, who were all engaged in various art forms. "There hasn't been a peep out of them in half an hour." Her face fell as she realised the impact of her words. "That's probably not a good thing, is it?"

Spike laughed. "Hell no, the little wankers are plotting our doom!"

"You know," Harmony looked thoughtful. "You're really good with children."

"I'm what?!" Spike was horrified. "No, I'm not! You take that back!"

"You are." Harmony insisted. "They really like you."

Spike shuddered. "Hate to see what they'd do to someone they _didn't_ like!"

"What did happen to the old daycare supervisor?" Harmony asked dubiously.

"I've been afraid to ask."

"Mr Spike?" The blond vampire looked down to see Delia tugging at his shirt.

"What's wrong, luv?"

The three year old thrust a sheet of paper into his hand. "I drew a picture for you." She told him sweetly.

"Great!" Spike plastered an enthusiastic smile on his face. "It's lovely. It's . . ." His face turned pale as he looked down at the drawing Delia had presented him with. "Harm," It was a struggle for him to keep his voice calm. "Get Angel on the phone. He's going to want to see this."

TBC.

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up and running. Please keep the review coming and let me know if there is anything you would like to see.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.__

_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.__

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note: **I'd like to thank everyone who's been reviewing this story. This is my first story to get to one hundred reviews so I'm really happy about that milestone. Thanks everyone!

**Chapter 8.**

"C'mon, sweetheart, sing for Uncle Lorne. Just a few bars? How about one little verse of 'Twinkle Twinkle'?"

Delia shook her head firmly, not moved in the least by the Pylean's pleading. "Don't wanna!"

"Listen, pet," Spike crouched down next to the little Seer. "It's really important that you sing a little song for Lorne so we know why you drew that picture."

"No!"

"Just one little song?" Lorne coaxed, assuming a pathetic facial expression. "For me?"

"No!"

Lorne threw the other adults a rueful look. "Tough crowd."

"I'll give you a lollipop." Spike offered, wishing with all his heart that it was Livia he was dealing with. That child would have sold her soul for candy.

"I don't want a lollipop." Delia folded her arms across her chest, shooting the adults a glare that let them know that she was not to be trifled with.

"Well then, what do you want?" Angel asked, feeling utterly humiliated at being reduced to bartering with a three year old child. "Toys? We can get you toys. Or . . ." he looked up at Lorne. "Do we still have that camel Harmony ordered?"

"I don't want a camel." Delia announced in a dignified tone. "And my mommy will buy me toys if I want them.

"Speaking of Mommy," Gunn interceded, speaking for the first time. "Should we really be questioning Delia without her parents' permission? We could end up dealing with the mother of all lawsuits if we're not careful." Angel wordlessly handed him the picture the little Seer had presented Spike with. A look of pure horror entered Gunn's eyes. "I take it a lawsuit's the least of our worries." He quipped half-heartedly. He turned the page over in his hands, revealing a second picture, of a dark haired woman in a long dress. "Pretty." He remarked. "Who is it?"

Angel and Spike exchanged an uncomfortable look.

Delia smiled up at Gunn. "That's me." She announced. "That's me when I was big before I was little and came here."

"We'll figure that out later." Angel interrupted. "Right now, we need Delia to sing so we can figure out how to stop . . ." He waved a hand towards the first picture Delia had made, making full use of the red crayon. " . . .That."

"I'll talk to the firm's Seers and the Psychic Department." The previously silent Wesley volunteered. "See if any of them picked up anything." He frowned at the non-compliant child. "At least _they'll_ be willing to tell us if they know anything."

"They won't." Delia informed him sweetly. "Only I know."

"Uh, am I the only one who notices anything off about that drawing?" Spike demanded sarcastically.

"Besides the demon, the blood and the corpses?" Angel snorted in derision.

"I mean that this is not the work of your average three year old."

Three _and a half_!" Delia corrected indignantly.

"Look, I mightn't be the world's greatest expert on preschool art," Spike continued, ignoring her protest. "But _I _can't draw that well!"

"All the more reason for us to hear the little lady sing." Lorne said, turning to Delia with a smile. "What'll it take, princess? If Mr Spike sings, will you?"

"Bollocks to that!" Spike was appalled by the suggestion.

Delia looked interested. "Will Mr Angel sing too? And Mr Wesley?" She bargained.

"Anything you want." Lorne declared, ignoring the horrified expressions on his colleagues' faces. "If you want me to get the Three Tenors and the cast of Les Mis in here to sing for you, I will."

"You don't have to do that." Delia told him solemnly. "Mr Spike, Mr Angel and Mr Wesley will be fine. If they sing, I will." 

Lorne looked up at the three unhappy men. "Oh they'll sing." He assured her. He gave the three unhappy men a stern look. "Won't you?"

"Do we get a say in this?" Spike demanded, not looking forward singing for an audience, no matter how small.

"No." Lorne said simply. "So, sweetie," he smiled down at Delia. "Any requests?"

Delia thought for a moment before whispering something in Lorne's ear.

A smile spread across the demon's green face.

Angel, Wesley and Spike knew that they were doomed.

* * *

**_Three minutes later._**

"For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain because/ Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic."

By the time they had finished the song, Wesley's face was a bright shade of red and the two vampires sported identical expressions of mortification. 

Wesley said a silent prayer of thanksgiving, relieved that Fred had elected to help Harmony with the children and had missed his less than stellar performance. She was the last person he would have wanted to see him like that.

"You know," Gunn found their performance highly entertaining. "I find it really disturbing that the three of you knew the lyrics to 'Teddy Bears' Picnic'. Is there something you'd like to tell us?"

Delia patted Spike's arm comfortingly. "I thought you were good."

"Thanks, luv." Spike's response was gruff. "Your turn." _/After what I just went through, you bloody well better sing! /_

As soon as Delia launched into a rousing rendition of 'How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?', Lorne's face took on an expression of pure horror.

Catching sight of the expression on his face, the little Seer trailed off, shocking everyone by bursting into tears.

Spike scooped her up in his arms, trying to soothe her.

"It's alright, pet," He pulled a face, hoping to make her laugh. "Your singing was better than ours." He joked.

The three year old clung to him, crying quietly. "Bad things are going to happen, Mr Spike!" She wailed. "Make it stop!"

"Poor kid." Lorne gave her a sympathetic look. "It's not the nicest image to have rattling around in your head, is it?"

"What image?" The lack of information was freaking Angel out.

Lorne's expression darkened. "Trouble. And lots of it."

"Make it go away!" Delia's words were muffled by Spike's shirt.

"We will." Angel tried to sound reassuring. He patted her shoulder awkwardly. "You were a big help."

"I'm taking her back downstairs." Spike's tone brooked no argument. He did not even wait for one of the others to respond before turning on his heel and marching out of the room with the little girl in his arms.

"I'm going to consult my books." Wesley announced, picking up Delia's discarded drawing and looking down at the demon portrayed there. "See if I can find a reference to . . . whatever this is."

"I'll see if the big cat knows anything." Gunn volunteered, following Wesley out of the room.

Angel waited until the two men had left before turning his attention to Lorne.

"How bad is it?" 

"Bad." Lorne confirmed. "I don't know if we'll be able to handle it on our own." He regarded the dark haired vampire for a moment before speaking again. "Who's Connor?"

TBC.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.__

_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.__

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note: **To Darklight and Star Princess Meesa – close, but no cigar. And Darklight, your idea for a present for Harmony was just so sweet! You're right. It would be a lovely gesture on Morgan's part.****

Words in / / = Thoughts

Words in ***  *** = Flashbacks.

**Chapter 9.**

"You're not supposed to be reading me!" Angel objected, mentally kicking himself for agreeing to sing in front of the empathic demon without having made that point perfectly clear beforehand.

"Not deliberate, cupcake," Lorne's serious tone belied the casual words. "But the images were coming off you in waves. So," He prompted. "Who's Connor?"

"Nobody."

Lorne raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Well, '_nobody' _is the reason you can't be near any of the little munchkins without getting angry. So? What's the dealio?"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Shouldn't keep things bottled up, strudel." Lorne said kindly. "Whoever this Connor was, he was pretty important to you. I can feel the grief and anger coming off you in waves. Maybe it would help if you were to talk about it."

"It wouldn't." Angel's voice was pained. "I don't want to be having this conversation now or ever. We have more important things to deal with. Remember, massacre?"

Lorne, knowing that his friend was not going to consent to talk about the mysterious Connor at any stage in the near future, sighed in resignation before turning his attention back to the far less pleasant topic of little Delia's vision. 

He shuddered. "I'm going to need a mental shower to wash _that _image out of my head! It's big, Angel." His voice was sober. "And it'll be here soon. We're going to need help. We won't be able to take care of this one by ourselves." Angel nodded comprehension. Lorne smiled slightly. "I'm going to talk to some contacts, see if I can find anything out."

"Thanks."

"And about Connor," Angel shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "If you need to talk, I'll be here."

"I appreciate that." Angel's gratitude was sincere.

"I'd better see what I can find out." Lorne gave a theatrical sigh. "No rest for the well-dressed."

"Lorne?" The green demon stopped on his way out of the office. "About the little girl, about Delia, is she . . . I mean did I . . .?"

Lorne smiled. "Yes, you knew her. In a way, you're responsible for her being here." He left, leaving a thoroughly puzzled vampire behind him.

* * ***__**

**_The daycare centre, later that night._**

"Mr Spike?" Delia had been uncharacteristically quiet since her vision.

"Yes, luv?" 

"You're not going to let the bad things come here, are you?"

He gave her a reassuring smile, tucking her into her bed. "Don't you worry about a thing, pet. Those monsters and boogie men will have to get past me if they want to get in here and I won't let that happen. Anyway," he grinned at her. "If anything does come in here, we'll just get Captain Forehead to sing – his voice could scare anyone away!"

Delia giggled. "When the others come, they'll stop it. The stars told me so." She told him, with the unwavering confidence only the very young possess. "And you'll be a champion." She sat up, putting her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "Goodnight, Mr Spike." She kissed his cheek before lying back down.

"You too, luv." Spike remembered to plug in the nightlight before switching off the main light.  "Sweet dreams."

"Night night." Delia was already starting to drowse off.

Spike stood up and slipped out of the room, meeting Harmony in the doorway.

"Not good with kids, huh?" Harmony shook her head disbelievingly. "You are such a softy!"

Spike couldn't come up with any argument in his own defence.

"You can head home now if you like, Harm." He offered. "I'll stay here with the rugrat."

Harmony needed no second prompting. Bidding Spike a hurried goodbye she tore out of the room, unhappily conscious of the fact that she would have to be back again within twelve hours. 

_/Oh well, / _She thought philosophically. _/It could be worse. At least I don't have to cater to Mr 'Where's My Blood' anymore. /_

* * *__

**_Three hours later._**

Spike had just dozed off when he was awoken by a piercing shriek of pure terror.

Delia, her face as white as a sheet and her silver eyes impossibly wide, raced into the room, making a beeline for Spike.

"What's the matter, pet?" The little girl clung to his leg.

"Monster!" Delia's voice quavered. "Under my bed. The kitty can't make him go away!"

"Monster, eh?" Spike was careful not to laugh. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. "I'll show him." He rummaged in the supply closet for a few moments before lighting on the item of his choice. He hefted the baseball bat over his shoulder. "Stay here, luv, I'm going in!"

He charged into the room, allowing his vampiric face to overtake his features. He paused to peek under Delia's bed, just to be sure (you never knew in this place) that the monster really was just a figment of her imagination.

"Alright, monster!" He bellowed to the empty room. "You're not welcome here! Sodd off!"

Determined to put on a good show, he battered the nearest mattress mercilessly, making appropriate sound effects for a pained monster.

Outside in the playroom, Delia listened happily as Spike fought against her imagined aggressor. She rewarded him with a hug when he came out, untidy after his exertions and looking as though he really had fought the battle of his life.

"He's gone now, luv." Spike crouched down in front of the little girl. "I don't think he'll dare show his face here again. You can go to sleep now."

Delia's face was solemn as she place her small hand on Spike's chest, over his unbeating heart.

"Champion's heart." Her voice was soft, unnervingly adult. "Your power is here."

_*** "Your wealth lies in here."_

_His sire's hand, over his heart, more than a hundred years ago. _

_The same expression in her eyes. _

_Seeing something other than the weak man before her. ***_

"I'm not your champion." Spike's voice was hoarse. 

Delia smiled tranquilly. "You will be." She yawned and the adult aura faded away as if it had never been. "I'm sleepy, Mr Spike."

Spike scooped her up in his arms, carrying her back into the dormitory and tucking her into her bed. "Sleep then." His voice was gentle, almost paternal. "I'll be right here."

* * *

**_Eleven o'clock, the next morning. Daycare centre._**

"Again! Again!" Livia clapped happily.

Spike shook his head in resignation. The two year old Slayer had become addicted to the game.

Harmony was playing a game of catch with the other children, who were happily pelting each other with beanbags, on the other side of the room. He grinned to himself. Despite her protests to the contrary, his ex was actually enjoying herself.

"Again!" Livia demanded, pouting a little. "Please, Mr Spike?"

He sighed, balancing the toddler on his lap and bouncing her up and down as he chanted and she squealed in delight.

"_Horsey, horsey, don't you stop/ Just let your feet go clippity clop/ Your tail go wagging up and down/ Giddy-up we're homeward bound!_"

As always, he finished the rhyme by tossing the little girl in the air and catching her neatly.

"Wow!" 

Spike looked up at the sound of the new voice and wished that he could hide. 

Xander, who had spoken, looked at Willow, Buffy and Dawn, who were standing next to him. "I guess the world really _is_ coming to an end!"

TBC.

_Author's Note: Originally, I was only going to have Buffy visit – admit it, you all thought that I had forgotten – but I found the suggestion of little-lost-one too appealing to resist._


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.

_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note: **To kit and Darklight – Don't worry, the Scooby gang have no intention of taking Livia away with them. I hadn't seen 'Damage' when I decided to have Buffy visit – Sky One are ages behind - so I had no idea what Andrew was going to do.

**Author's Note II: **I'd like to thank everyone who read and reviewed this story. I'm really pleased with the amount of interest in the story so I'll try to update as fast as I can.

**Chapter 10.**

'Bollocks!" Spike scowled up at the new arrivals. This was certainly _not _how he had planned his reunion with the blonde Slayer.

"Bolly!" Livia clapped her hands, delighted with the new word. "Bolly! Bolly Bolly!"

Xander grinned. "Are the parents aware that you're corrupting their innocent children?"

As embarrassed as he was, Spike couldn't let that remark slip.

"_Innocent_?" He gave a less than elegant snort of laughter. "After five minutes with these kids, even a moron knows that the word 'innocent' doesn't apply!" He nodded in Buffy's direction. "Slayer."

Livia looked up eagerly. "Slayer?" Her words were muffled by the thumb in her mouth. "Livvie Slayer!"

Spike rose, setting the toddler on her feet. "So, what're you lot doing here?"

"Angel called." Buffy explained awkwardly. "He said that you guys were expecting trouble, big trouble."

"Nice of Captain Forehead to let me know we were expecting company!" Spike grumped.

Harmony and the other children had started to drift towards the new arrivals. Delia held Spike's hand possessively, glaring at Buffy. Livia had fallen prey to a sudden attack of shyness and hid behind Spike's leg, peeping out every once in a while. Chad and David quickly dismissd the Scoobies as objects of interest and headed back to their game, taking James with them. Harmony followed, preferring to supervise the activities of three mischievious small boys rather than exchange pleasantries with people she had tried to kill. Bradley gazed at Dawn with open admiration while Morgan regarded Willow intently. Spike figured that the little sorceress knew another witch when she saw one.

_/If Red teaches that child more spells than she already knows, I **will **kill her! / _Spike resolved inwardly.

Sarah and Damien watched Buffy and Spike carefully for a few moments before dissolving into gales of laughter.

"What's so funny?" Spike frowned down at the two little telepaths.

Sarah took a few seconds to stifle her giggles before answering.

"Miss Buffy is remembering what you looked like with no clothes on." The four year old announced brightly, giving her carer an angelic smile.

Buffy's face turned a bright shade of scarlet and her unsympathetic friends made less than successful attempts to smother their laughter.

Spike glared down at the little girl.

_/I wonder if anyone would **really **hold it against me if I strangled the little blighter! /_

_* * *_

"So what're you lot doing here?" Spike had tried and failed to persuade Livia to run off and play with Harmony and the other children whil he spoke to the Scooby gang but the toddler had refused all of his pleading and coaxing and the blond vampire had resigned himself to having the little girl by his side.

"Angel called.' Buffy's voice was soft. "He said that you guys were expecting trouble and would need help."

"What happened to nobody on your side trusting him now that he's the king of Wolfram and Hart?"

"We don't." Giles responded bluntly, overhearing Spike's query. "But, if it's as bad as we're expecting, we'll have to put our differences aside."

"Angel said that one of your kids . . ."

"They're not mine!" Spike cut Buffy off before she could continue.

"Sorry. One of the kids that you take care of." Buffy amended. "He said that she was the one who had a vision of what was going to happen and told you." 

"I don't suppose that there's a chance she might have been making it up, is there?" Xander asked hopefully.

"Not a chance." Spike answered decisively. "Delia might have a bit of an imagination, but no three year old makes up something like _that_." He gestured to the picture on the table. "Not exactly something you want to tape to your fridge, is it?" He quipped.

"Is there any chance that we could question her about her vision, see if she knows anything else that could be of use to us?" Giles asked, taking off his glasses and polishing them in a true Giles-like manner.

"Not a hope in Hell!" Spike was adamant. "The kid's had a hard enough time already with that bloody vision, I don't want you reminding her."

"But if she can tell us anything else, surely we . . ."

"I said no." Spike's voice was firm. "You'll have to do your own research. Leave the little bit alone."

Buffy studied him for a few moments.

Although he had died – sort of – saving the world, and had done many hero-worthy things, Spike seemed to have evolved a great deal since their last meeting.

The self-styled 'Big Bad' she had known would not have been so protective of a child and, though he had been fond of Dawn, she could never have imagined the old Spike with a two year old child attached to his leg.

"You've changed.' Though admiring, her tone held a faint tone of regret. "You've changed a lot."

* * *

"Are you here to take our Mr Spike away?" Chad folded his arms across his chest and glared at Xander. 

"I'll bite you if you do." David declared, baring his collection of milk teeth in a less than threatening manner.

Xander raised an eyebrow. "_Your _Mr Spike?"

"Mr Spike is part of the daycare centre." Bradley explained in a no nonsense tone. "That means that he belongs to us."

Dawn smiled, amused despite herself. "Does Spike know that?"

Bradley gave her a bashful smile before nodding.

"He's ours." Morgan told them firmly.

"He's my champion." Delia's tone was dreamy.

"So if you try to take him away, we'll have to teach you a lesson." Morgan continued, not missing a beat. She smiled sweetly. "You wouldn't want that."

Sarah giggled. "Just ask Mr Angel."

* * *

**_Later that afternoon, Angel's office._**

"Could you lose the kid, Spike?" Angel's question came out sounding far more impatient than he had intended.

His grandchilde shot him an annoyed look. "You think that I don't want to?"

Livia tightened her grip on Spike's leg. 

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" She stamped her foot for emphasis at each 'no'. "Livvie want Mr Spike. Livvie no go!"

Spike knew the beginnings of a Livia Tantrum when he saw them.

Sighing, he bent down and lifted her up in his arms, wishing with all his heart and soul that he didn't have an audience for this exchange.

"I'll be with you soon, luv." He said gently. 

"Promise?" Livia plumped her lower lip in an adorable pout.

"Cross my heart."

Livia studied his face for a moment, deciding whether or not he was sincere.

She must have been satisfied, because she started to wriggle in his arms.

"Livvie down!" She looked up at Spike, her hands on her hips. "Miss Harmy give Livvie candy?" She bargained shrewdly, wrangling to get the best possible deal.

"Sure." Spike agreed. _/At least she doesn't want me to sing Bloody Teddy Bear's Sodding Picnic! / _"Be a good girl for Miss Harmony."

"Okay." Livia lifted her arms for a hug, which Spike awkwardly gave. She planted a wet kiss on his cheek. "Love you Mr Spike." She said, with the easy affection of a two year old.

"Love you too, pet." An embarrassed Spike managed to choke out. He waited until Livia had trotted off with a security guards before turning to the combined Scooby and Fang Gangs with an intimidating glare. "Not a word." He warned, in a low growling tone. "Don't any of you say one word."

* * *

**_Half an hour later._**__

". . . My team and I have only just begun to research the demon in Delia's vision." Wesley informed them, bringing the briefing to a close. "But what little information we have tells us that he is capable of doing more damage than almost every foe we've ever dealt with – put together!" He cleared his throat before reading from the translation on his paper. "_He will gather together the dark, the unclean and his legions will lay waste to that which is good, washing the City of Angel's in a river of blood_." Wesley looked up from his papers, worry creasing his handsome face. "It will be a war."

TBC.

_Crappy prophesy, I know. Don't worry, I won't be forgetting about the kids. This story is about them, the demon will play, at best, a very secondary role. Please keep the reviews coming, and let me know which Scoobies you'd like to see pulling daycare duty or any activities you'd like to see._


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.

_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note I: **So far, I've had requests for Xander, Dawn and one for Giles to pull daycare duty but in the interest of fair play, I think that all of the Scoobies should take a turn being tormented by the kids.

**Author's Note II: **To gidgetgirl –The demon himself isn't the problem, it's what he plans to do.

Words in / / = Thoughts.

**Chapter 11.**

**_The next morning, half past eight, the daycare centre._**

David sniffed the air apprehensively as he regarded his new carer. 

"You smell funny." The three year old werewolf announced, not bothered in the least by the look of horror on the man's face.

Giles frowned reprovingly at the small boy, waiting until he had ran off to play with one of the other children before cautiously sniffing under his arm, just in case.

He wasn't entirely certain how he had ended up with this job.

Spike, claiming that he had some contacts he wanted to question, had escaped at the first possible opportunity and somehow Giles had found himself, along with a reluctant Willow, conscripted for daycare duty. 

Being Harmony's assistant, Giles reflected, really was as low as a man could go.

* * *

"So how long have you been doing magic?" Morgan asked curiously, regarding her new carer with a respectful – by her standards at least – expression.

"Five years." Sarah answered on the red haired Wicca's behalf.

Willow shook a playful finger at the little girl. "No reading Miss Willow." She rebuked gently.

Sarah just smiled.

"Five years." Morgan looked thoughtful. "That's longer than me. Can you teach me some spells?"

Willow suppressed a laugh. "From what I hear, you're no amateur yourself."

"Morgan's really powerful." Sarah piped up. "She can make yucky food taste good and she turned Mr Wesley into a funny animal and she gave Miss Harmony blue hair and once she made Mrs Murray's false teeth bite her and she . . ."

"I get the idea." Willow held up a hand to halt the little girl's enthusiastic tirade. She looked down at Morgan, a serious expression on her face. "You shouldn't use your magic to do nasty things to people, you know." She chided gently. "If you use your magic for bad things, bad things come back to you." She shuddered inwardly, remembering her own brush with darkness little more than a year ago.

"They haven't yet." The young sorceress argued logically. "I like to use my magic for fun."

"Do you ever use it to do nice things for people?"

"I conjure candy for Livvie." Morgan offered, a smile spreading slowly across her pale, intense face. "Then she gets hyper. It's funny."

Willow wisely chose to let that slide. 

"Maybe you should try to think of something nice to do for someone today." She suggested encouragingly. "I bet you can."

Morgan nodded thoughtfully. "I'll try."

"I'll help you think of something." Sarah offered generously.

Willow smiled at the girls.

_/That oughta keep them occupied for at least a little while. /_

* * *

"Miss Harmony?" Bradley shyly approached the blonde vampire, looking around to make sure that none of his friends were within earshot. 

Morgan and Sarah were huddled in a corner, poring over a spell book. Chad and James were playing Snakes and Ladders and Damien was playing in the pretend kitchen with David and Livia. Delia was curled up on the couch, conversing intently with her doll and seemingly dead to the world.

He exhaled in relief. He didn't want any of them listening in.

"What's up, Bradley?" Harmony asked cheerfully. The novel sensation of being in charge had boosted her spirits and not even one of her charges' best pranks could have dampened her spirits.

"I'd . . .I'd like to ask you something." He began nervously.

"Spill."

"How . . ." He cleared his throat. "How do you get a girl to like you?"

For once in her life, Harmony was speechless.

* * ***__**

**_The same time, Angel's office._**

"I don't get it." Buffy frowned, puzzled. "This is just one demon, right? He doesn't even look all that tough. How can he do the kid of damage you're talking about?"

"Adolf Hitler was only one man." Wesley pointed out logically. "Yet he was responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent people. I believe that the demon in Delia's vision was the Kra' Ma'han, the Sower of Discontent, the Gatherer of Darkness. Unless we can stop him, he will recruit hundreds, then thousands of demons into his legions and once he has gathered enough followers, he will tap into the dark core of every demon, every monster, every vampire in this world and beyond and bind them to his will. Then," Wesley looked around the room, where every eye was upon him. "He and his followers will wage war on humankind and everything that stands in their way."

"Wow." Fred whispered, awed.

"You can say that again." Xander's face was pale.

"So how do we stop him?" 

Wesley looked over at Angel, who had asked the question. "I don't know." He confessed quietly.

* * *

**_An hour later, the daycare centre._**

"Mr Rupe?" Livia hadn't quite managed to master Giles's name.

"Yes?" Giles looked down at the angelic looking toddler standing next to him. In the days of the old Watcher's Council, a Potential Slayer identified at Livia's age would have been removed to the Council's care at the earliest possible opportunity, as the late Kendra had been. One thing that he and Buffy had been in full agreement on  was that children, regardless of their gifts, should not be taken from loving families and handed over to strangers to raise.

After an hour with Spike's small charges, Giles was thanking every deity ever worshipped that he didn't have to deal with small Slayers on a regular basis.

"Livvie want story." The two year old requested imperiously. She frowned when Giles did not immediately comply, placing her hands on her hips. "Now!"

"Story?" Giles smiled. _/Perhaps there are still some children not completely enslaved by the idiot box. / _He liberated a beautifully illustrated volume of Hans Christian Anderson's fairytales from the bookshelf. "What would you like to hear?"

"No baby story." Livia scowled at the book as though it had offended her personally. "Livvie want a _vampire _story. Like Mr Spike tell."

"A vampire story?" Giles repeated, incredulous. _/Good Lord! It's been less than a week and Spike has already managed to corrupt the poor child. /_

"Yes." Livia crossed her hands over her chest, glaring at Giles. "Now!"

"You're too small for a vampire story." Giles told her firmly, reflecting mournfully on how much easier Buffy and her friends had been to deal with when they first met.

About three seconds after the words had left his mouth, Giles realized his mistake.

Livia drew a deep breath, opened her mouth impossibly wide and . . .

"LIVVIE WANT A VAMPIRE STORY! NOW!"

Morgan looked up from her spell book and shook her head indulgently.

Mr Rupert had a lot to learn.

* * * 

**_Two hours later._**

"Hello all." Xander called cheerfully, popping into the daycare centre for a quick visit, accompanied by Dawn.

"Shh!" Giles shushed him hastily. "I just got her to sleep."

"Who?" Xander gave him a blank look.

Willow laughed. "Giles had a bit of a run in with our resident mini-Slayer."

"Isn't she two?" Dawn asked heedlessly.

Giles just glared at her. "You can laugh . . ."

"We will, thanks." Xander joked.

"But that child is the most stubborn, non compliant individual I have ever come across."

"You used to say the same thing about Buffy." Willow observed.

"I had to feed her at least a dozen candy bars before she would stop screaming long enough for me to get her settled for her nap." Giles continued his tale of woe, oblivious to the unhappy looks Willow, Dawn and Xander were exchanging. "What?" He asked, finally noticing their expressions.

Before they could explain, a pale and unhappy little Slayer staggered out of the dormitory, clutching her stomach.

"Livvie tummy hurt." She complained miserably, before proceeding to regurgitate her sugar gorge.

Giles looked down at his stained trousers and shoes in dismay.

_/Wonderful! /_

TBC.

_Giles and Willow have had their turn. Next up: Uncle Xander and the kiddies._


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.

_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer. One of the kids must do magic At least two kids must be entirely mortal. One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all of the reviews. Your encouragement meant a lot.

**Author's Note II:** To Charmed-angel4 - I'm sure that Spike and Harmony would love it if you took Bradley off their hands. Glad you like him.

**Author's Note III: **To Darklight - Thanks again for your suggestion for a present from Morgan to Harmony. I'll be using it in this chapter.

**Author's Note IV: **To Queen C - I'd love to write Anya taking care of and/or corrupting the kids, but the stupid writers killed her off and to save _Andrew _of all people!

Words in / / = Thoughts.

*

**Chapter 12.**

**_The daycare centre, half past one._**

"Uncle Xander?" Damien, his curiosity overcoming his usual shyness, tugged on Xander's shirt to get his attention.

"What's up, kid?" Xander had not yet mastered all of his charges' names, which was understandable as he had been on the job less than ten minutes, having taken over for Giles and Willow after lunch.

"Are you a pirate, Uncle Xander?" The small boy wore a perplexed frown, confused by the images that he had picked up from his new caretaker.

Xander chuckled. "You mean the patch? No, I . . ." He trailed off; seeing the admiring looks that some of the children were giving him. _/On second thoughts . . . / _"Can you keep a secret?"

Damien, along with several of the other children who were clustered around Xander, nodded solemnly.

Xander bent forward in a confiding manner, making his voice as mysterious as he could. "I am."

"Wow!" Damien's tone was awe filled.

"Did you lose your eye in a sword fight?" James asked eagerly, bouncing from one foot to the other in his excitement. "Is it really gross under the patch?"

"Can we see?"

Xander grinned at Chad, who had asked the question, lifting his eye patch a little so that they could see his scar.

"Cool!" James's tone was reverential. How many kids got to meet a _real _pirate? "Hey, Bradley!" He called to his friend, who was sitting at the art table. "Come here. Uncle Xander's a pirate."

Much to his friend's disappointment, Bradley just grunted non-commitally, absorbed in his project.

"Can we play 'Pirate', Uncle Xander?" Chad asked hopefully.

"Sure." Xander was more than happy to go along with that plan. "You can be First Mate."

"I wanted to be First Mate." James groused.

"You can be Second Mate." Xander suggested quickly, not wanting to end up with a squabble on his hands. "And you can be Third Mate." he told a disgruntled Damien.

"Can we play with swords?" James asked hopefully.

"You have to have a sword if you're a pirate." Chad added knowledgably. 

"Livvie want sword." The two year old Slayer hugged Xander's leg. "Livvie play?"

"You're too little." James told her scornfully. "Besides, there's no such thing as a _Fourth _mate."

Livia's lower lip trembled and she looked ready to burst into tears.

Seeing the danger signals, Xander scooped her up hurriedly and sat her on his shoulders. "I've got an extra special job for you, sweetie." he said coaxingly. "Where would a pirate be without his parrot?"

"Livvie parrot?"

"That's right." Xander told her encouragingly. "Now," He turned to his three mates with a scowl worthy of Captain Hook. "Are we ready to set sail, ye scurvy dogs?"

"Aye, aye, Uncle Xander." The three boys chorused.

"Captain." Xander corrected. "Call me 'Captain'."

"Aye, aye, Uncle Captain."

* * *****

**_The same time, Angel's Office._**

"Research." Buffy uttered the word as though it left a bad taste in her mouth. "How is it that, despite your huge staff of minions, we stil get stuck with research?"

Angel just smiled.

Giles was in his element. Although the Wolfram and Hart Ancient Prophesies Wing looked deceptively unimpressive, it contained more books than Giles had ever seen, even in the combined libraries of the Watcher's Council. At present, the British man was happily perusing a book that wasn't even available in this dimension.

"You know," Wesley looked up from his own book. "Apparently this place used to have someone who knew absolutely everything that ever happened, in recorded history and before."

"Why can't we just get her to tell us what we need to know?" Dawn whined.

Wesley shrugged apologetically. "I'm afraid that Files and Records is undergoing a much needed resorting. It will be weeks before we are able to access the Record keeper."

"That bites!" The teenager groused.

"Don't complain." Giles told her sternly. "It could be worse - you could have to work in the daycare centre like poor Xander."

Buffy looked up, a little worried. "Do you think that Xander's okay down there?"

Dawn gave a rather inelegant snort of laughter. "Come on, guys! This is_ Xander _we're talking about. He's like a big kid himself. He'll be fine."

* * *

**_Half an hour later, the daycare centre._**__

"Land ahoy, Uncle Captain." James called from the prow of the ship - an upside down table draped with blankets borrowed from the dormitory for sails.

Xander, sitting on the 'captain's chair' with Livia still perched on his shoulders, rubbed his hands in glee, really getting into his role. "There'll be treasure aplenty, lads." He cackled, grinning down at his loyal crew, to which Delia and David had been added. "And it'll be ours for the plundering."

"Yeah!" All the kids cheered happily.

Brandishing his plastic sword, Xander gave his crew the command they were longing to hear. "Attack!"

* * *

Miss Harmony had told him that girls liked presents, so Bradley was hard at work.

Looking up from the art table, he could see some of the other children running across to the kitchen and rummaging in the fridge.

Chad ran over to Miss Harmony, taking the indignant vampire captive.

Bradley sighed impatiently.

He had wanted to ask Miss Harmony's opinion about his gift.

His friends could be such _kids _sometimes.

* * *

**_Five minutes later._**

"And now it's time to divide the spoils." Xander announced, surveying the treasure (candy) with an approving eye.

"Candy for Livvie."

Xander shook his finger at his 'parrot'. "It's 'Pretty Polly' or 'Polly want a cracker'." He corrected gently. "You know that."

Livia made a valiant attempt at squawking. "Caw! Pretty Livvie."

Xander laughed, feeding her a jelly baby. He had given up on getting the little Slayer to substitute the name 'Polly' for her own. He lifted her down from his shoulders so that she could claim a share of the treasure. "Now," he grinned down at his loyal crew. "Dig in."

They needed no second prompting.

* * *

**_Five minutes later._**

Morgan had her nose buried in a spell book, trying to come up with an appropriate 'nice' thing to do for someone.

Sarah had deserted her in order to play the part of a mermaid in Uncle Xander's pirate game, leaving her friend to work by herself.

Morgan flicked through the pages for a few more minutes before alighting on a spell that looked intriguing.

A slow smile spread over her pale face.

This was perfect.

* * *

"No way!" From her perch on the chair they had made her stand on, Harmony glared at 'Captain' Xander. "Why do I have to walk the plank?"

"Because you're a prisoner." Chad informed her, as though this was self-explanatory.

"Pirates always make people walk the plank." David said knowledgably.

"Unless they're _soft_." James scowled at the mere thought. "And we're not soft." He added fiercely. "So you have to walk the plank. Now move!" He poked the blonde vampire with his toy sword, catching her off guard and sending her stumbling off the low chair and into the sea.

Harmony gave Xander an indignant look. "I'll get you for this, Xander Harris!"

* * *

**_Ten minutes later._**

"Miss Harmony?" Morgan sidled up to her caretaker, her hands behind her back. "I have a present for you."

Harmony sighed wearily. "I'm not in the mood for one of your tricks now, okay?"

"It's nice." Morgan insisted. "Really."

Against her better judgement, Harmony held out her hand. "What is it?" She scowled when the little sorceress handed her a small compact mirror. "Oh, very funny! She commented bitterly. "Make fun of the girl who can't see her reflection."

"Open it." Morgan insisted.

"Fine." A ticked off Harmony opened the compact. "Happ. . ." She trailed off as she saw her reflection for the first time in more than three years. "Oh my God!"

Morgan's breath was knocked out of her as the blonde vampire seized her in an impossibly tight bear hug.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." Harmony hadn't been this happy in a long time.

"Miss Harmony?" Poor Morgan could barely catch her breath. "I can't breathe."

"Sorry." Harmony released the little girl, beaming at her.

_/I guess she's not so bad after all. /_

* * *

**_Five minutes later._**

Xander checked his watch. _/Two twenty-five. Five minutes left until naptime. / _"Alright, mateys," he said aloud. "Time for one last pillage before we dock. We set sail for . . ." He trailed off sheepishly. "Hi, Buff."

The blonde Slayer smiled. "Having fun Xander?" 

Dawn, standing at her sister's side, giggled, and even Angel looked amused.

Bradley approached shyly, his art project in hand.

"Here." He held it out to Dawn. "I made this for you."

Dawn awkwardly accepted the brightly painted macaroni necklace. "Gee, thanks." Conscious of the little boy's expectant gaze, she put it on. "It's lovely." She bent down and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Bradley, delighted by the reception his offering had received, raced back to the art table, intent on making more macaroni jewellery.

"Looks like someone's got a boyfriend." Buffy teased.

Dawn gave her sister a good-natured shove. "Shut up!"

Taking pity on her, Buffy turned her attentions back to Xander. "I was going to ask if you wanted to grab a bite to eat while the kids were napping but if you guys are having fun . . ."

"We are." James announced firmly. "We're playing pirates and Sarah's a mermaid and Livvie's a parrot."

Livia, perched on Xander's shoulders, took her cue, giving them her best squawk.

"Livvie want crack!"

For the life of her, the two year old Slayer couldn't understand while all of the adults burst out laughing.

TBC.

_That's all for now. Next chapter will include more Delia, plus a new victim for the daycare gang. Any requests? Please keep up the reviews and suggestions. Thanks._


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.   
  
**_~*The Mr. Spike Challenge*~_**   
  
_Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare. _  
  
**_Requirements:_**   
_One of the kids must be a slayer. _

_One of the kids must do magic _

_At least two kids must be entirely mortal. _

_One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago_. 

  
**Author's Note I:** Thanks for all the reviews. 

  
**Author's Note II:** To Darklight - Do you really hate the adults that much? And poor Dawn! I'm afraid that, much as I would love to bring Anya back to teach the kids about the joys of capitalism and have Morgan conjure lots and lots of bunnies to freak her out but sadly, Morgan just doesn't have the kind of power it takes to raise the dead. Yet. Charmed-Angel4's ghost suggestion would be plausible, though. 

  
**Author's Note III:** To gidgetgirl - I'm sorry, but I just couldn't see Xander introducing himself as 'Mr'. 

**Author's Note IV: **To Queen C – Poor Faith! Don't you think she's suffered enough. She didn't kill that many people!

  
**Author's Note V:** To Pixie13 - Yes.   
  


* 

**  
Chapter 13. **

**_  
  
_**

**_Two days later, half past eight, the daycare centre._**   
  


For the first time since he had been stuck with his position as Director of the Wolfram and Hart Daycare Centre, Spike was truly, blissfully happy.   
  


He regarded his new assistant with a gleeful smirk, taking great pleasure in every second of his discomfort.   
  


He grinned widely. "Welcome to Hell, Gramps."   
  


* * *   
  


Angel regarded the nine small children warily as they sat down to their breakfast, half expecting one off them to attack him.   
  


With this group, that was by no means an unlikely possibility.   
  


Spike hadn't stopped grinning since Angel had arrived that morning   
  


"Tell me again how you got stuck down here?" Spike couldn't hear that story often enough.   
  


Angel sighed wearily. "Harmony called in sick . . ."   
  


"Even though she's a vampire and vampire's don't get sick." Spike interjected happily.   
  


"And since Gunn has a case, Buffy's patrolling, Wesley, Fred, Dawn and Giles are researching, Willow and Xander have already had their turns here and Lorne's talking with some contacts, I got stuck here." Angel finished unhappily.   
  


Much as he hated to admit it, Spike felt a little sorry for his grandsire. He clapped a hand on the other vampire's shoulder.   
  


"Not to worry." He grinned. "There are times when they're not too bad."   
  


"Really?" Angel looked hopeful. "When?"   
  


"When they're asleep." Spike responded dryly.   
  


* * *   
  


**_Half an hour later. _**  
  


After breakfast, Chad, James and David overturned one of the tables for a repeat of yesterday's game of 'Pirate'   
  


Sadly, without Xander's guiding hand, the game quickly turned into a free for all fight over who would get to be captain, resulting in several cuts and bruises and a nosebleed for poor Angel, who was caught in the crossfire when he tried to restore peace, afraid that one of them would be hurt.   
  


"Don't bother trying to break the up." Spike called from the couch, where he was sitting with Livia on one knee and Delia on the other, taking pity on the other vampire. "It's not worth it. They sort thing's out better on their own."   
  


As if to prove him right, the three boys came to a compromise a few minutes later, agreeing to take turns as Captain.   
  


Bradley was hard at work on a macaroni bracelet set for Dawn, ignoring the pleas of his friends to join their pirate game. He had uncovered a tub of glitter in the art box and was applying it generously, becoming sticky and sparkling in the process.   
  


Morgan and the twins were sitting by themselves in a corner, while the little sorceress displayed the gift Miss Harmony had given her as a 'thank you' for the enchanted mirror.   
  


The two vampires wisely gave the trio a wide berth.   
  


Spike paused in his story about his and Dru's exploits in South America and looked up at his unhappy grandsire. "How're you holding up?" Although he was furious that Angel had landed him with this job, he would have pitied anyone who was encountering the daycare crew for the first time.   
  


Angel scowled, taking a seat on the couch next to Spike. "What kind of company signs a contract with a vampire that entitles her to a sick day allowance." He muttered resentfully.   
  


Spike snorted in derision. "Don't blame the lawyers, blame the little bit." He nodded in Morgan's direction. "Ten quid says Harm's at home playing with the new toy the little witch gave her."   
  


Livia, displeased at the delay in the story, turned around to glare at Angel. "Vampire." She scowled at him before looking up at Spike. "Bad vampire? Livvie stake?" She looked hopeful.   
  


Spike shook his head regretfully. "Nah, the poof's got a soul."   
  


"Poof." Livia tried out the word, before giving Angel a sweet smile. "Hiya, Mr Poof."   
  


"Mr Angel." Angel corrected gently.   
  


"Nuh-uh." Livia shook her head decisively. "Mr Poof."   
  


Delia glared at Angel, her silver eyes sparkling with anger. "I don't like you." She said in a soft voice, full of anger. "You ate my Mummy. And Rachel and Anne. You took them all away. You made them be dead. Then the stars started talking all at once. I couldn't hear what they were saying but they wouldn't leave me alone." She sighed, sounding utterly unchildlike. "It made my head hurt." She buried her head in Spike's chest, crying softly. "Make him go away!"  
  


"Bad Poof!" Livia kicked out at Angel with her short legs. "Bad Poof make Delia cry."   
  


"Stop that." Spike chided the little Slayer firmly, catching her foot before it could make contact with its target. "No kicking." Livia scowled, but complied. Spike rubbed Delia's back gently. "There there, love." Angel was surprised by the tenderness in Spike's voice. "It's over, you're alright." He gave Angel a pointed look. "Maybe you'd better sodd off, Peaches."  
  


Angel lingered for a few moments, watching the little Seer, a puzzled and guilty expression on his face. "Is she alright?"

Spike glared up at him. "Does she _look _alright?" He gave Livia a gentle shove in Angel's direction. "Take the tiny bit with you."

Livia held out her arms, waiting for Angel to pick her up.

Angel scooped up the two year old, holding her awkwardly.

"So," He smiled, trying to look friendly. "What do you want to do?"

* * *

**_Five minutes later._**

"Come _on_, Bradley!" James wheedled. "You _have _to play. It's not as much fun without you."

"I'm busy." The five year old's response was curt.

James snorted in derision. "You're no fun anymore." He complained bitterly. "You've turned into a real sissy now that you're in love." He made it sound like some kind of exotic disease.

Bradley ignored him, concentrating on threading the lavishly painted and glittered pasta onto the length of wool. 

Dawn had seemed to like the first necklace.

Maybe if he made her more, she'd start to like _him_.

James just wasn't mature enough to get where he was coming from.

* * *

"There." Morgan added the final touch to her masterpiece, brushing Damien's eyelids with a generous coating of blue eye shadow, the same shad she had used on Sarah.

The make up kit that Harmony had presented her with the previous day as a thank you for the magic mirror was being used to its full advantage.

Morgan looked around, combing the room for another victim.

"Mr Angel?" Her voice was sweet. "Would you like to play a game with us?"

Angel paused, earning himself a solid kick in the ribs from Livia, whose loyal steed he was doubling as.

"I don't think so." He declined politely, setting little Livia down. After hearing stories from those unlucky enough to pull daycare duty, he knew better than to willingly become Morgan's victim.

The little sorceress narrowed her dark eyes.

"Too bad." Her tone made it perfectly clear that she was not going to tolerate any nonsense. "It's time someone did _something_ to hide your protruding forehead."

Angel touched his forehead self-consciously, pausing just long enough to allow the twins, Morgan's loyal lackeys, to grab his hands and pull him over to her.

Angel could have shaken them off easily, but he didn't want to risk hurting someone.

"Now," Morgan's voice was sweet. "Just sit down, relax and it will all be over soon. Livvie," She handed the toddler an eyebrow pencil. "If he moves, stake him."

Livia, her sapphire eyes sparkling, held her weapon aloft in a manner so eerily reminiscent of Buffy that, despite his predicament, Angel couldn't help smiling.

"Okay," Morgan looked thoughtful as she struggled to remember all that Miss Harmony had taught her. "Are you a winter or a summer?"

Angel groaned.

_/You have only yourself to blame. / _His inner voice reminded him severely._ /This is what you get for exposing innocent children to **Harmony. **/_

* * *

**_Ten minutes later._**

"Feeling better, pet?" Spike asked gently, still cradling Delia in his arms.

"Yeah." The little girl was pale, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. "Mr Spike?"

"Yeah, luv?"

"When the bad man comes, you won't be able to stop him." Her voice was sad, resigned.

"We'll worry about that when the time comes, eh?" Spike said, ruthlessly squashing his private concerns so that the little girl wouldn't see his fear. "In the mean time," He looked across the room, where James, David, Chad and even Bradley had abandoned their own activities in favour of clustering around Morgan. "Let's see what the little witch has done to Captain Forehead."

Delia nodded her assent, resting her head on Spike's shoulder.

Still carrying Delia, Spike headed over to Morgan's corner, where the kids parted to let him get a glimpse of her handiwork.

Despite Delia's sombre prediction, Spike couldn't help laughing when he saw the state of his grandsire.

"Angel, you're . . . you're . . ." It took him a few moments to control his laughter. "You're gorgeous!" He taunted happily.

Angel, caked in half the contents of Morgan's make up kit, could only keep his scowl in place for a few seconds before succumbing to the irresistible laughter welling within him.

TBC.

That's all for now. I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible. In the meantime, please keep up the reviews. 

Would anyone like to see Dawn pull daycare duty? Or maybe Buffy?


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.

_The Mr. Spike Challenge_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer.

One of the kids must do magic

At least two kids must be entirely mortal.

One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note I: **I am so sorry that it's taken me so long to update. I think this is the longest I've waited between updates. Between school, work and writer's block, I haven't been able to get anything done.

**Author's Note II: **To kg-rose – The Drusilla part was right. So far, nobody's guessed Delia's exact origins, although Pixie13 came very close. I don't think I'll be going into details in the story, but if anyone wants to know her story, please e-mail me.

**Author's Note III: **To Queen C – As much fun as it would be to see Illyria deal with the kids, I'd have to kill Fred off and I couldn't bear to do that. I'm still ticked off with the producers of 'Angel' over that. Also, I'm afraid there'll be no Angelus in this story. I don't want the daycare gang to spend the rest of their lives in therapy. PS. Technically, Jasmine (in Cordelia's body) killed Lilah. Angelus just snacked on her remains.

* * *

**Chapter 14.__**

**_Afternoon, Angel's Office._**

"Okay," Angel looked around the table at the people gathered there. "What do we know so far?"

"My contacts have learned of five different rallies in the city, all with different kinds of demons and my guess is, this is just the tip of the iceberg." Gunn reported. "These guys mean business."

"Attacks against humans are on the increase." Fred reported, worry clouding her pretty face. "The number of human casualties have increased by almost eighty percent – and that's just in the past week."

"The firm's psychics are picking up some serious dark mojo." Lorne added glumly. "In a few week, everyone with so much as a smidge of demon in them will be drawn to this guy, whether they like it or not." He glanced up at Angel. "That probably includes you, strudel."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Buffy couldn't help but smile at the nickname.

Doing his best to keep the humiliation from his face, Angel turned to Wesley. "Has this happened before? Has this guy played this game in the past?"

"Not in our dimension, no." Wesley's eyes were dark with worry. "But he has successfully wiped out entire races in other worlds. His method is always the same, he starts by spreading his message to those who are already angry at the way things are, then as more and more demons join his crusade, his power grows, until he has gathered together enough followers to launch his attack." Wesley offered his friends a thin, humourless smile. "Ironically, the Kra' Ma'han is physically unimpressive, weaker than the average vampire."

"So why don't we just kill him?" Buffy asked impatiently. "You cut off the snake's head . . ."

"You piss the other snakes off." Wesley finished grimly. "When dealing with fanatics, there's nothing more dangerous than a martyr."

"So we can't kill him?" Buffy sighed. "That sucks!"

"I know." Wesley rubbed his temples, attempting to rid himself of the migraine that was the direct result of too many hours spent poring over musty demon tomes. "For now, all we can do is try to put a spoke in his wheel, break up as many rallies as we can, try to delay his progress, until we have abetter plan."

Angel grinned wryly. "I guess this is where the commando teams come in handy."

* * *

**_Daycare centre, lunchtime._**

"So why'd you get stuck down here, Little Bit?"

Dawn sighed, disgruntled. "Buffy just wants to keep me away from the fighting. Uggh!" She huffed. "I'm not a little kid."

"In fairness, pet, this place is probably more dangerous than the rallies, demons or no demons. We've got Morgan."

"Is she being bad?"

"Worse." Spike scowled. "She's being _nice_."

* * *

"Here's your sword, James." Morgan handed the little boy the newly conjured weapon, watching with an amused smile on her face as he clutched it to his chest, determined not to allow Spike to confiscate it.

"Mine, it's mine!" James howled, as the blond vampire pried the sword from his hand, holding it aloft.

"Not anymore." Spike frowned at the little sorceress. "No more weapons, got it?"

"Yes, Mr Spike." Morgan smiled demurely. "Is there anything you'd like me to conjure for you?"

It was in the tip of Spike's tongue to request a hundred year old bottle of scotch but he clamped his mouth shut before the words could escape his lips.

"Are you sure?" Morgan asked temptingly, gesturing to the spell book. "This spell conjures anything you name."

"Your name should be Eve." Spike groused.

The little girl gave him a bewildered look.

"Never mind." Spike wagged a warning finger in the little girl's direction. "Just behave yourself."

"I will, Mr Spike."

Not believing her for a second, Spike returned to the dormitory and Chad, who had managed to catch a slight case of the sniffles earlier and was producing enough mucus to paralyse an army, keeping an ear open for Morgan as he supplied Chad with a fresh bucket.

"Better out than in, little mate." He said encouragingly, being careful not to get splashed with the green goo the little demon was producing at an alarming rate.

"Alright, Bradley." Morgan gave her companion and rival a smile. "What do you want?"

He leaned forward and whispered something in her ear.

For a split second, Morgan's dark eyes registered her dismay. "No." She scowled. "It's not nice to do love spells."

Bradley looked confused. That had never stopped Morgan before. "But. . ."

"No love spells!" Morgan glared at him.

"Fine." Bradley stomped off in a huff, heading straight for the art table and his macaroni project.

A tiara should definitely win Dawn over.

Making an effort to look cheerful, Morgan smiled down at the tiny Slayer who had been her devoted shadow since being promoted from the babies' nursery. "What'll it be, Livvie? Candy? Chocolate?"

The toddler looked tempted, but she shook her head firmly. "Livvie want Slayer."

"You're already a Slayer."

"Not Livvie Slayer." The two year old explained patiently. "_Other _Slayer."

It took a second for Morgan to realise what she wanted. Reading out the standard conjuring spell, she inserted the name of the item requested.

". . . So we go break up some rallies and then we . . . What the hell?" A bewildered Buffy looked around the daycare centre. "Wasn't I just upstairs."

Livia snatched Buffy's hand, tugging her over to the couch. "We hafta talk." The little Slayer announced solemnly.

* * *

**__**

"Whatcha doing?"

Bradley looked up at his idol with a bashful smile. "I was making a present for you, Miss Dawn." He presented her with the lopsided and still sticky tiara.

"It's lovely." Dawn hid a small frown as some of the paint came off in her hands. "I'll wait for it to dry before I try it on."

"You like it?" Bradley looked hopeful.

"Of course." Dawn ruffled his hair. "It was very sweet of you to make it for me."

"Miss Dawn," Bradley wet his lips nervously. "Would you like to go out with me? On a date?"

Dawn's smile froze.

This was a situation she had no idea how to handle.

* * *

"So why did you want to talk to me?" Buffy asked gently, trying not to hurt the toddler's feelings by laughing at her solemn expression.

"You Slayer." Livia said simply. "Like Livvie."

"So you want to know what a Slayer does?"

"Know that." Livia waved her suggestion aside. "Slayer stake vampire."

"So what do you want from me."

"Livvie want to fight. Miss Buffy-Slayer show."

"You want me to show you how to fight?"

Livia nodded. "And give Livvie stake."

Buffy smiled. "It'll be a long time before you have to fight. Years and years. I'll teach you then, okay."

"No, now." Livia insisted. "Livvie fight now. Delia say so."

"You're still too little." Buffy explained patiently. "The only demons you'd be able to fight now would have to be pretty . . ." She trailed off.

Spike, emerging from the dormitory armed with two buckets of Feoral mucus, recognized Buffy's 'thinking cap' expression. "What's up, pet?"

Buffy allowed a smile to spread across her face. "I think I may have a plan."

TBC.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.

_The Mr. Spike Challenge_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer.

One of the kids must do magic

At least two kids must be entirely mortal.

One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.****

**Author's Note:** A warning to all who read this chapter – I think that this is the first time I've ever written anything resembling action.

* * *

**Chapter 15.**

**_Angel's office._******

"You're insane!" True to form, Xander was the first to break the silence that followed Buffy's announcement of her plan to the combined Scoobies and Fang Gang. "I always knew that you were a _little _crazy but this . . ."

"Seriously, Slayer," Spike's expression combined incredulity with a grudging admiration. "What exactly were you smoking when you came up with this?"

"It'll work." Buffy was adamant. She turned to Wesley, who was still silent after the bombshell she had dropped. "You said that if we killed the Kra' Ma'han, we'd make him into a martyr and that his followers would worship him more than ever, right?"

"Yes, but . . ."

"So how keen would you be to worship someone who was beaten by a toddler?"

"She's got a point." Gunn admitted grudgingly.

"Once he loses face before his followers, his influence over them should dissipate." Wesley conceded. "But your plan involves placing an innocent child in mortal danger."

Buffy exhaled impatiently. "It's the blonde hair, isn't it?" She glared at her friends. "How stupid do you guys think I am? Of course I'm not planning on sending Livvie off to battle a demon by herself! She just needs to finish him off for show, to strike the final blow – I'll soften him up for her and we can finally put Angel's commando team to good use. Besides, Livvie's not your average two year old. She's a Slayer." Buffy smirked. "We're a tough breed."

"You want us to let a two year old child fight our battles for us?" Angel couldn't decide whether he was more amused or offended. "What about his followers? You don't expect them to just stand there while you hold their leader down so Livia can cut his head off, do you?"

"Nope." Buffy responded cheerfully. "Spike is going to help us with that."

"Me?" The blond vampire looked up, startled. "Why me?"

* * *

**_The daycare centre._**

Despite knowing that it was essential for her plan, Buffy couldn't keep herself from grimacing as the juvenile Feoral let out a thunderous sneeze, filling the bucket Spike held with slimy mucus.

Livia, who was probably the most enthusiastic pupil she had ever taught, was happily demonstrating her newly learned fighting skills to a select audience of David, her stuffed bunny and Delia's doll, patiently explaining what she was doing, in a rather patronizing tone, as she kicked at imaginary foes.

Sarah kept looking over at the blonde Slayer with a knowing expression in her blue eyes and Buffy had no doubt but that the young telepath was relating all of her secrets to Delia, who glared at her with ever increasing resentment.

"Miss Buffy?" Bradley approached the young woman he had hoped would be his future sister in law, a wary expression on his freckled face.

"What's up?"

"Is it true that Livvie's going to get to fight a bad guy?"

"Who told you that?"

"Delia."

"I see." Mistaking the motive for his query, Buffy patted the boy's shoulder understandingly. "Livvie's going to _help _us fight the bad guy." She told him gently. "But don't worry, she's not going to get hurt or anything. Mr Spike, my friends and I will take good care of her."

"That's not what I mean." Bradley shrugged away impatiently. "I want to fight too."

"Bradley, is this about Dawn?" Buffy knew that her younger sister had done her best to let the little boy down gently but, all the same, Bradley's first crush had ended in heartbreak.

He kicked the carpet moodily. "She said that if I was seventeen she'd have loved to go out with me but that she's too old for me. I tried to get Morgan to cast a spell to make me seventeen but she said no." Buffy did her best to hide a smile. She suspected that the four year old sorceress had her own motives for refusing. "So I want to fight." An aggrieved Bradley continued. "To show Dawn that even though I'm five, I'm still way better than all the seventeen year old's out there."

"I'm sure that Dawn would be flattered to know that you want to impress her," Buffy began. "But I can't let you come with us when we fight. It's dangerous. You're too young."

Bradley's eyes blazed and she knew that she had said the wrong thing.

"I'm five." He scowled at her. "That's very old. That's almost a grown up. Livvie's only two. Why can she fight if I can't?"

The toddler, overhearing this, gave Bradley her smuggest smile. "Livvie Slayer." She said simply. "Bradley not. Bradley no fight."

The boy's normally pale face turned a disturbing shade of red. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"

"Sorry." Buffy genuinely felt sorry for the boy. "Maybe next time." She surreptitiously crossed her fingers behind her back.

"That's fourteen." Spike announced, emerging from the dormitory armed with two full buckets. "And Fred and her science-types can stretch it to ten times that without putting a dent in the potency. It should do us."

"Great." Buffy gave him a smile, ignoring the poisonous glare Delia gave her. "It's all coming together. Livvie?" The little girl looked up at her. "Want to learn to use your first weapon?"

The two year old Slayer's eyes lit up. "Weapon for Livvie?"

* * *

**_Three hours later._**

"I still say we need more time to prepare." Giles fussed nervously.

"We can't." Dawn hissed. "If Buffy's plan doesn't work, the fewer minions we have to deal with, the better."

"Gee." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Alright." Angel placed a hand on the blonde Slayer's shoulder, motioning for silence. "We've faced worse than this. We'll manage." He gave them a crooked smile. "We always do."

"Damn right!" Buffy clapped a hand over her mouth. "I mean _darn _right." She corrected, for the benefit of the littlest member of the team. "You ready Livvie?"

"Livvie slay."

"That'd be a yes, then." Spike, who carried the toddler, elaborated. "Why don't I carry that, luv?"

Much to his relief, Livia cheerfully handed over her 'sword' – one of Angel's daggers. It was pretty blunt but it was tipped with silver, which Wesley and Giles both swore would finish the Kra' Ma'han off.

"Ready?"

Hefting their water pistols filled with Feoral mucus, Giles, Wesley, Xander, Gunn, Dawn and Fred nodded confirmation.

Acknowledging them with a curt nod, Buffy took on the role of general to give the traditional cry –

"Charge!"

* * *

**_Eighty six seconds later._**

The Kra' Ma'han, the Bringer of Discord, the entity responsible for the extermination of race after race in transdimensional conflicts, was close to wetting himself in terror.

Paralyzed from the neck down, his followers could only watch, their horror and indignation quickly turning to disgust as their 'fearless' leader dropped to his knees, whimpering in terror, like the coward he truly was.

"Mercy . . . Mercy."

Buffy stepped back hurriedly as the demon, shorter than she was and powerless without his allies to aid him, tried to clutch the hem of her jeans.

"Don't trust him." Wesley's voice was hard. "If spared, he will go on to do this again, in other dimensions."

Buffy sighed. It went against the grain for her to kill a helpless being.

She looked into the eyes of the Kra' Ma'han, trying to see some spark of goodness in him.

All she saw, behind the veil of terror and submission, was cold calculation, as the demon already tried to find a way to turn this to his advantage.

Sighing, she motioned towards Spike, who stood to the sidelines, a fascinated Livia held securely in his arms.

He set the child to her feet, trying to fight the pride he felt as she confidently approached Buffy, her little 'sword' clutched to her chest.

"Livvie slay?"

_/Damn, I hope this doesn't traumatize you for life! /_

Nodding grimly, Buffy reached out and shoved the Kra' Ma'han onto his back, fighting the sinking feeling of nausea as the toddler Slayer lifted her weapon and, as she had been taught, buried it in his paper thin chest.

There was a low whine from the slain demon and then silence.

"Our leader is dead." One of the demons, who looked as though he had been carved from rock, glared up at the podium where Spike, Buffy and Livia were still standing.

Spike's eyes widened in alarm. "Yes, but . . ."

"All hail our new Leader."

Much to the horror of the watching Slayerettes and Fang Gang, the demons fought the effects of the paralysis, dropping to their knees awkwardly, gazing at little Livia as though she were their Messiah.

"Hail!"

Spike looked from the assembled demons to Buffy, to his friends, to the two year old standing between them.

There was only one word to adequately express his emotions.

"F--k!"

TBC.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, neither 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Angel', or any of the amazing characters associated with either show belong to me. I also don't own the story line - that is taken from gidgetgirl's 'Mr Spike Challenge' (details below). The kids at the day care centre belong to me.

_The Mr. Spike Challenge_  
Set in Angel season five. When the head of the Wolfram and Hart daycare service for employee children (both human and non-human) dies, Angel decides to kill two birds with one stone by putting Spike in charge of the daycare.

_Requirements:_  
One of the kids must be a slayer.

One of the kids must do magic

At least two kids must be entirely mortal.

One child should remind Spike of someone he saw a hundred years ago.

**Author's Note I: **Writing this story has been fun and I hope that reading it has. I'd like to thank gidgetgirl for writing her amazing challenges.

**Author's Note II: **Sorry about the update delay. This is going to be the last chapter.

**Author's Note II: **I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. Your encouragement and suggestions meant a lot.

* * *

**Chapter 16.**

**_Five days later._**

"It seems that all of the Krat'ma'hen's support base has dissipated." Wesley reported. "Demon violence against humans has returned to it's normal level."

"Which is still too high." Angel commented sourly. "What about the little girl? Livia. How is she?"

Spike, to whom this question was addressed, grinned. "Very pissed off that Goldilocks made her abdicate."

Buffy managed to resist the urge to stick out her tongue.

"A good thing you did." Giles comforted, taking off his glasses and cleaning them in a true Gilesesque manner. "Had we known that it was a rally of Grerrach demons, we might have gone with a different plan."

"Too kill a Grerrach chief is to take his place." Wesley elaborated. "Needless to say," He added dryly. "They have a rather high level of assassinations."

"It's not all bad though." Spike said cheerfully. "Livvie's going to be what they call a 'Friend and Ally' of the Grerrach. Mess with her and you have to deal with them. Could come in handy."

"Not bad for a two year old." Dawn smiled slightly.

"Will you be able to stay a little longer?" Although the question was addressed to all of the Scoobies, Angel's gaze was fixed on Buffy as he spoke.

" 'Fraid not." She responded. "We left Andrew alone with the other Slayers."

"I dare say they've killed him by now." Giles conceded.

"And we're sorry about that?" Dawn looked genuinely bewildered.

"We'll have to leave tomorrow morning." Buffy said.

"Will you be taking Livia?" Fred spoke for the first time.

"Absolutely not." Giles looked appalled by the suggestion. "She's more trouble than any other Slayer I've ever dealt with."

When she's a decade or so older we'll think about it." Buffy confirmed. "Until then, she's better off with her parents. Even if they are lawyers." She rose from the couch where she was sitting. "We'd better pack. We have to leave in the morning."

"And we should really get back to work." Wesley stood and helped Fred up.

"Spike," Angel spoke up as the others began to troop out of the room. "I need to talk to you for a second."

The blond vampire flopped down in a chair opposite Angel's desk. "What's up, Gramps?"

"Could you please stop calling me that?"

"Could, but won't."

"Do you always have to be so annoying?"

"I take after you."

Angel growled slightly. "Would you please be quiet? I wanted to tell you something."

"Spill it, then."

"I've been holding interviews for your replacement and . . ."

"You mean I can get out of the daycare centre?"

"I've got a supervisor and two assistants lined up. If you and Harmony want to leave, you can. Lorne's got an opening for Harmony in his department and she's accepted. I'm sure we can find something for you to do."

"What?" Spike scoffed. "Clean the toilets?"

"If you'd rather do that than lead the Black Ops division." His grandsire said dryly.

For once, Spike was speechless.

* * *

**_Half an hour later._**

"Spike?" Buffy tapped his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, Slayer." He looked up at her. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Captain Forehead offered me a new job."

"Are you going to take it?" She looked a little disappointed.

"Don't know yet."

She smiled. "Well, if you want to come back to Rome with us, I'm sure we can find something for you to do. There's a lot of new Slayers to train. Who better to train a Slayer than a vampire?"

* * *

**_The daycare centre._**

"Mr Spike?" Damien, normally so silent, relying on his twin to do the talking for both of them, approached the vampire warily, drawing him away out of earshot of the others.

"What's up, pal?"

"Are you really going to be going away to Italy?"

"How did you . . ." Spike shook his head, exasperated. "Why do I keep asking that?"

"Are you?" The little boy clung to his leg. "I don't want you to go. I like you. And the others all like you too."

"You've got a funny way of showing it."

"We play tricks on people we like." The four year old told him earnestly.

"Wish you didn't like me so much then."

"But we do." Damien's lower lip started to tremble. "And we don't want you to go." He wailed loudly.

"You're going?" Bradley looked up from the game of 'Hungry Hippo' with James, Morgan and David.

"To Italy." Damien confirmed, outraged.

"You can't go." Morgan's dark eyes were fierce. "We won't let you."

"I won't read your mind anymore if you stay." Sarah vowed ferverently.

"And I won't bite you . . .Again." David piped up.

"We won't be bad anymore if you stay." James promised.

"It's not because of you." Spike tried to explain.

"We'll be really, really, really good." Chad vowed. "No tricks or nothing."

"No go." Livia drew herself up to her full, not very considerable height. "Livvie no let Mr Spike go." She announced impressively. "Livvie tween now and you no go."

Delia didn't say a word. Picking up her doll and clutching it tightly, she slipped into the dormitory and shut the door behind her.

"Look, you lot." Spike had no wish to face a nine-person temper tantrum or worse, a cry fest. "I haven't decided anything yet, so don't get your knickers in a twist, okay?"

"You mean you might stay?" James looked thrilled.

"I didn't say that." Spike interjected hastily.

"Mr Spike's staying!" Bradley started to dance around like a madman.

_/Great. / _Spike thought, irritated. _/Now what am I supposed to do? /_

* * *

**__**

". . . so now you've got to decide what it is you want to do. Look at the pros and the cons and . . ."

Spike considered it the measure of his desperation that he had gone to Lorne for help.

After threatening the flamboyantly dressed demon with the destruction of his CD collection if he breathed a word, he sang a few bars of a song his mother had often sung to him and sat back expectantly, awaiting direction.

Lorne hadn't stopped talking since.

"Do you know what you want?" Lorne pressed.

"Not the daycare centre." Spike answered immediately. "I've got nothing against the little platelets, but I'll strangle one if I have to work there much longer. Plus, even though Peaches is running a multi billion dollar law firm, the pay is sh--." He added indignantly, thinking of the disappointing check he had been given earlier that day.

"What about Rome?" Lorne asked. "Back to your old crowd."

"Yeah, that's just it." Spike said glumly. " 'Back'. After more than a century, I've learned that you can't go back. It never ends well. They don't need me there. Don't know if anyone except Buffy and Little Bit really want me there."

"So where are you needed most?" Lorne patted his shoulder. "Just listen to your heart."

Spike gave him an incredulous look. "Do you get _all_ your inspiration from Disney?"

* * *

**_Two hours later, Angel's office._**

"Are you sure I can't talk you out of it?" Buffy looked a little disappointed.

"Sorry." Spike clapped a hand on Angel's shoulder, ignoring the older vampire's glower. "Someone's gotta stay, make sure the big poof doesn't screw this gig up like he does everything else."

"Hey!" Angel scowled. "Not _everything_."

"Easy, crumbcake." Lorne said soothingly. "He's making the right call. Trust me. He's meant to be here."

"Delia?"

Lorne nodded confirmation.

"Is she my new link to the Powers That Be?" Angel asked.

"Not yours, apple crumble." Lorne nodded in the direction of the younger vampire. "His."

"You're kidding." Spike was both amused and horrified.

"No." Lorne shook his head. "You've got a big destiny ahead of you."

Buffy smiled. "Have you decided how you're going to break it to the kids that you're leaving the daycare centre?"

Spike frowned. "Bugger!"

* * *

**_The daycare centre, the next morning._**

"Those little guys are so sweet." Harmony announced tearfully, emerging from the daycare centre after saying her goodbyes. "I'm gonna miss them."

Steeling himself against tears and reprisals, Spike marched into the room.

"Mr Spike." Sarah beamed at him. "You're not going to Italy!"

"No, pet."

Delia's face fell. "You're not staying with us, though, are you?"

"No, love." Spike touched her cheek gently. "But I'm still going to be working for Wolfram and Hart. I'm not going far and I hear your new carers are really nice. Who knows?" He grinned. "I might even pop down for a visit, or to get your help if Mr Angel's driving me up the wall."

"We'll show him if he does." Bradley declared.

"I know you will."

"We made this for you." James trotted forward, awkwardly balancing an A3 card. "And we all signed it, even Livvie."

The toddler solemnly displayed her palms, which were covered in red fingerpaint.

"Thanks." Spike accepted the card. He nodded in the direction of the new director of the Wolfram and Hart Daycare Centre. "They'll keep you on your toes." He promised. He gave the children clustered around him a half-hearted grin. "I'd better get going.

"No go." Much to Spike's horror, Livia clutched at his black jeans, leaving less than welcome paint stains.

"There, there." The sensible looking thirty-something woman, the oldest of the three newcomers, and the one designated as his replacement scooped up the two year old. "Perhaps you'd better go." She suggested quietly. "We can handle this."

"Sure." Spike backed away as the new daycare centre staff gathered the children.

"Say goodbye to Mr Spike, children." The new director called cheerfully.

"Bye, Mr Spike." Their responses were unenthusiastic.

"Bye, guys." Spike left hurriedly.

As much as he hated to admit it, a part of him was going to miss the little brats.

The children, trying not to cry, made their way over to the couch and flopped down, not in the mood for any of the games the new staff were suggesting.

"It's not going to be the same without Mr. Spike." Sarah said mournfully.

"I wanted him to teach me to fight." Bradley grumbled.

"Me too." James seconded.

"Livvie want Mr Spike." The tiny Slayer kicked the small table in front of her.

"Don't worry." Delia smiled tranquilly. "We'll see him again soon. I know it."

THE END.

_Author's Note: That's all folks. I hope you liked it. Could you do me a favour? I want to do a little survey and I'd like to know which of the kids was your favourite. Thanks for reading._


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